Sana Syed
Perception is selective for most of us. We are deeply affected by the microcosm world around us and the farther the distance from a situation the more negligible is the impact it creates on us. But, coronavirus pandemic has affected not just the macrocosm but the microcosm existence, and its ripple effect crosses sovereign boundaries, social strata, and the world’s hemispheres.
It is difficult to say who is hit the hardest. World leaders and celebrities are choosing self-isolation; Sensex is jittery; public places are largely empty, institutions are deserted, and children are confined to their homes.
And sadly there are millions of people who have to go out to earn for their family, lest they would die of hunger.
People and authorities who were initially in denial have finally come to an unsavory understanding that it is no longer a media hoax- the danger to health and life due to COVID-19 exposure is real.
What changes with the realization is our response to it. The first realization comes within a household. We might not yet have realized but our lives are a set of individual habits and a set of collective coexistence.
Early in the morning the only thought that drives us is to reach the workplace on time; the office time is governed by codes of conduct, and it is only during the final phase of the day that we ease and relax and our responses become natural. With many professionals working from home, schools closed, and home makers finding continuous trespassing in their undisturbed ‘me’ time, it is a delicate psychological equilibrium to maintain for each.
Strategists and thinkers are working overtime to suggest how to constructively engage children in this time of self-isolation. Kudos to present day parents who have carved an incredible daily routine for kids, be it school, activities, fun, socializing, and adequate rest, so well that children have an immense dependence on each one of these slots and they think it is difficult to exist if anything out of these goes a miss.
Now with schools closing for an indefinite time and other activities suspended, there comes the mammoth task of fitting the role of a teacher, coach, entertainer, and playmate for our children, apart from managing the office work. Wait – the outdoor fun missed out in the list – gasp.
The current life style has a perfect balance of all possible ingredients, except one – that is how to remain calm when there is nothing particular to do. That calls for a little idling too. Kids are so run over by activities one after the other that they require to be engaged all the time.
Sometimes sitting idle, wandering in thoughts, quietly drawing a picture, or simply looking out the window gazing an azure sky is also entertaining. Tell this to any child around, and the next thing you notice will be an expression of disbelief written on the face.
Perhaps because the entertainment industry has served an easy platter of all the features combined with the click of a button. So, why not grab a remote and look for the favorite sitting spot in the living room.
Increased screen time might come handy to keep the children busy but it is not an ideal solution. In fact, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation on screen time for young children should be an eye opener for parents.
What the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is that sometimes age old practices like the quarantine method work better. Quarantine practice dates back to the 14th century and yet it is the most effective combatant so far. Similarly, there was a time when life was not very fast paced and people still did not complain of boredom.
With the new reality of social isolation we need to reinvent the world within the confines of our homes, which our hitherto busy life has so far ignored. There is a tough task ahead. The fixation to screen is ever increasing and with no inflow of thoughts, ideas, and fun to share with friends, it is more than ever we as parents need to realize our role.
If we did not have the time and opportunity to be a friend of our kids, sharing with them the little stories of our idyllic childhood, there is no better phase than this, because deep within us, there is a self, little lonely, withdrawn, and vulnerable to the unfolding misery of human existence.
William Shakespeare, the greatest writer and playwright of all times once said, ‘Sweet are the uses of adversity, which like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head.’ Maybe this is the chance to connect and understand the microcosm world, where we exist as a family and be grateful to the little joys of life.