By Aashish Mishra
Kathmandu, Sept. 2: Raising and caring for children can be difficult enough in normal times. But during the stress of crises like the current COVID-19 pandemic, it takes on a whole another dimension.
Parents are having to cope with issues like needing to make kids aware of the seriousness of the present situation without frightening them, addressing their queries, maintaining their schedule while keeping them indoors, and others.
Arjun Pandey, who has two sons aged eight and three, called his parents for help. “My parents live with my brother but I asked them over here at the start of the lockdown to help with the boys,” he said. “Playing with their grandparents and hearing their stories keeps them calm. The kids also don’t ask to go and play outside when their grandparents are around which is good for their safety.”
Similarly, Alok Bhattarai and his two neighbours Bishista Dongol and Nil Prajapati have connected the roofs of their houses in Tinkune, Kathmandu so that their children can have a large space to play without going outdoors. “We demolished a section of the wall separating our roofs to make a gate of sorts for our children. So, whenever they feel like it, they gather and play various games here.” Between the three, they have seven children aged between five to 15 years.
However, the greatest load of watching the children is falling on the shoulders of mothers. “I don’t consider it a burden but it is hard to be the primary caregiver while also keeping up with other duties,” said Komal Thapa Magar. Thapa Magar, mother to a three-year-old daughter, also heads the internal communications department at a multipurpose cooperative finance. “I have to coordinate with all the employees of my finance about their work and report to my seniors. I also have to be ever-present for my toddler – from feeding her to changing her dresses.”
Aradhya Shrestha is also one of the overworked mothers. “The mother is the first person the child calls out for and it is our responsibility to make sure that the baby’s needs are fulfilled,” Shrestha, who has five-year-old twins, told The Rising Nepal. “Mothers have had it tough since the lockdown began in March.” While each child is different and needs to be understood and cared for individually, there are some tips that parents can use to protect their child from the virus, according to psychologist Kusum Baral.
One of the most important things is honesty. “It is tempting to shield our children from the gruesome reality and hide things from them but in the age of ubiquitous news and social media, kids will find things out anyway. So, it is better that we tell them. That way, we will have control over how the message is delivered and can help our children process it,” Baral said.
Baral also suggested letting children keep in touch with their friends. “Video chatting with friends helps reduce anxiety. Parents should know this.”