Growing Up During Covid-19: 5 Ways To Protect Children
Growing up in a time where outdoor activities are restricted, almost everything is digital, and with new types of illnesses discovered nearly every other day, it could be a particularly tough environment for children to witness. It is overwhelming to be surrounded by saddening news of deaths reported due to Covid and the growing amount of false information, making everyone panic and misdiagnose simple flu symptoms as Covid.
It is vital to protect children and nurture them in the right direction. Here are several steps that you can take to ensure that your child is safe and aware at all times.
- Educate your child on the importance of adhering to the safety precautions mentioned by WHO.
- Teach your child to follow social distancing norms and to maintain a minimum of 2-meter distance from others.
- Train them to wear masks/ double masks (if required) when stepping out. You can avoid the overuse of resources in the market and use old clothes for the same purpose. Make it exciting for your child by stitching up masks from different coloured clothes.
- Remind your child to wash their hands regularly after touching a surface, another person, or anything from the external environment that can be potentially contaminated.
- Reward your child when he/she adheres to a safety precaution to reinforce the behaviour.
- Avoid talking about the pandemic day in and day out and bombarding them with the news. Instead, introduce fun activities for your child to indulge in, so that daily life indoors doesn’t become monotonous and dull. You can help your child take up a new hobby like painting, reading or dancing to make it interesting for them!
- Even though it is becoming a digital world gradually, avoid allowing your child to excessively use mobile phones, tablets, and other electronic devices. Inappropriate material is all over the internet; you never know when your child would come across it!
- Help your children learn the essential skills for survival, like cooking, cleaning, or gardening.
- While many people contemplate whether to get vaccinated or not, getting your child (below 18 years of age) vaccinated with the mandatory two doses is essential. Ascertain that your youngster is vaccinated in accordance with the government’s age-appropriate requirements.
- Urge your child to invest their time in skill-building activities instead of giving in to their constant need for entertainment through gadgets. Limiting children’s screen time offers the added benefit of freeing up time for health-promoting activities, leading to a positive lifestyle for the child.
- Ever since the pandemic hit, homeschooling with online lessons is becoming increasingly vital for school-aged youngsters. Educational institutions should aim to inculcate personalized, fun learning to truly grasp children’s attention who can easily get distracted at home.
- the effects of the coronavirus
- how the coronavirus spreads
- why social distancing is vital to protect themselves
- how Covid affects them differently from adults
