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TODAY’S CHILD

will not have been left unaffected. The
range of experiences children and teens
have had during lockdown is challenging
in itself. Inequalities experienced during
the weeks of school closures, etc, will be
felt into the foreseeable future. Gaps in
attainment, physical and emotional health
will have widened amongst children
previously not identified as requiring
assistance. Planning to provide extra
academic, physical and emotional support
will need to be included in the future both
at home and at school.
Boundary crossing:
Online schooling has brought about
a previously un-thought of ‘boundary
crossing’. Children and teens, depending
on where they do their online schooling,
be it at the dining room table or in their
bedroom, cannot control who enters their
home or their private space. Whether we
realise it or not, some children and teens
do not want the class or the teacher to
have access into their private life. With
online schooling, teachers and friends may
enter rooms or private spaces without the
child or teens being able to deny access.
The same goes for teachers. Teachers are
teaching from their homes, which implies
a boundary of privacy has been crossed the usual preparation that would have they ordinarily would have received to
for which there was no choice given happened (with all the learners in the assist them in managing stress.
and no permission granted. The online country), for their transition into the next
realm has provided us all with a glimpse term, will be lacking. This will be particularly With the increase in communication via
into the private lives of people which we challenging for children starting school at social media, the escalation of bullying
need to acknowledge and navigate, very the end of 2020, moving from primary to has also been seen. Children who are not
respectfully. high school and for those leaving school. familiar with the do’s and don’ts of social
Those teens who are approaching the end media communication have been thrown
Uncertainty: of their school time and face the impact of into the deep end of navigating an online
Uncertainty has become our ‘go to’ exam results, employment opportunities world and identity, which is often ahead
approach. One day we feel we know what’s and admissions to tertiary institutions of their developmental stage. Teens, who
happening, the next day the lockdown will find these all hanging in the balance. have crafted out a bigger social media
confusion hits us again. What are we Where schools once represented stability presence since lockdown, may have an
allowed to do and with whom? In ‘normal’ and structure, these transitions have inflated sense of self and identity. Such
life, rules and structure provide security unbalanced the system which means teens may be prone to bullying others
for children. But their level of security and we need to work proactively with the due to their self-importance and minimal
feelings of safety are being challenged. school system to assist children in gaining ‘normal’ counterbalancing activities within
Parents who previously lectured their stability again. the school and sports environments.
children and behaved in law abiding Online grandiosity is a result of modern
ways, have started transgressing the rules Friendships and bullying: technology and was present pre-COVID-19
laid down by government. This leaves Children and teens have been kept away but the sport and school environments
developing young minds in confusion. from friends, grandparents and people have previously assisted in restoring the
Which rules are ‘allowed’ to be broken? in general. Attachment is a concept that balance. For example, teens who become
Teens may lack confidence as they have we think of in terms of infancy but we over-confident because of their online
seen adults struggle with uncertainty and are engaged in attachment behaviours presence are quickly brought down to
argue about how to manage the crisis. throughout our lives. Teens have size when they do not get selected for
Fundamentally, their sense of reliance on attachment relationships with peers and the team or when peers outshine them in
adults to be able to keep them safe may be significant adults which may have been the science test. These 'behind the scenes'
in need of reassurance. strained or disrupted during lockdown. balancing activities at school and in
sports create more stable and competent
Attending school has also become Friendships have taken strain during the children going into society.
something they can no longer rely on extended lockdown including as a result
because one day they can go and the next of social distancing. Children and teens Within the private and public schooling
they are not allowed to. will have communicated with their friends systems, inequalities have been
over social media, while others will have highlighted in terms of internet access as
Transitions: had little contact. As peer groups are well as access to devices. Concerns have
As public schools had to close and August important for teens, this may have resulted been raised regarding teasing, resulting
holidays commenced for private schools, in some teens lacking the social support from what device your child has taken

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