Page 25 - Blue Valley Issue 4 2020 print.pdf

LIFESTYLE

WHERE HAS LOCKDOWN LEFT OUR

CHILDERN?

By Dr Ilse Ruane

he coronavirus pandemic and losses too. For teens, the loss of their social Challenging experiences at home:
subsequent lockdown has left us life may be crippling, along with the loss of There are children and teens that had to
Twondering how to gauge accurately the visiting grandparents. A parent may have lost face lockdown in already challenging home
impact the situation is having on children, a job.... and there’s the deprivation of normal environments. These circumstances have
teens and adults’ general mental health and life. Regardless of the type of loss, many will in all likelihood been amplified during
well-being. While experiences of lockdown be experiencing a sense of grief. Children lockdown, as families have been quarantined
might be varied, everyone would confirm and teens respond to their losses in different together. Others will have faced challenges
that it has been a challenging time in some ways. Some may become sad and withdrawn, for the first time. These may include: financial
way or another. while others appear anxious or angry. concerns, domestic violence, abuse, neglect,
family conflict, caring responsibilities, hunger
Parents are aware of the complex and Arguably, one of the greatest losses has and housing concerns.
sometimes traumatic experiences that been school as children know it. Being
children have been going through during that school takes up most of a child’s day, Inequalities:
lockdown. However, it is worth unpacking we need to acknowledge the pivotal role When schools opened, we were plugging the
some here (my list is by no means exhaustive): schools play. Schools provide more than just proverbial hole and trying to make the best
academic learning to children and teens. In of the situation with hygiene protocols and
Losses: addition, children learn social and emotional practical coping tools. In going forward, we will
We are grieving the loss of 2020; birthday skills. They have exercise opportunities, need to be cognisant of what has happened
parties, christenings, weddings, funerals, access to mental health support systems to children during lockdown. Not only taking
braai’s and travelling. and other things that cannot be provided particular notice of children previously
online. Schools and teachers, specifically, are identified as vulnerable but keeping an eye
Perhaps more directly related is that children geared to being supportive towards children on the majority, if not all, of the children...
will have relatives or friends that have through the challenges that they face in life. as they will not have been left unaffected.
contracted the virus and who may be ill. In the current situation, the physical access The range of experiences children and teens
Some may have died of the coronavirus or to schools and teachers has been highly have had during lockdown is challenging in
due to other illnesses. But there are other challenging. itself. Inequalities experienced during the

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