COVID-19 and your child 

In these unprecedented times, the biggest worry for most people is their own health, food, job security and freedom of movement. We should also be worried about the effect this pandemic has on our children, their future and how we can make it better for them.

The impact on learners’ academic performance and advancement is obvious. Apart from the fact that some learners have no access to online education (more than 70% of learners in South Africa), even those who are privileged enough to have access to online teaching and resources will still be at a disadvantage. 

Filling the gaps

Primary school learners are dependent on their teachers for far more than just the basic tasks that are given or explained to them – they now rely on their parents to fill that gap. Unfortunately, most parents also have to work from home, which can place a lot of additional stress on the household. Online assessments, which are now the only way to access, cause far more anxiety than the usual in-classroom assessments. For example, if a learner does a Maths assessment online, the calculations would have to be copied from the screen to paper, completed and the correct answers entered online. This takes additional time and careless errors can sneak in, influencing marks. Connectivity issues, outdated devices, etc. all contribute further to more anxiety. 

Navigate the new normal

Despite all the negatives, there are also many benefits for your child that should not be overlooked. Learners are forced to navigate in an online world which will definitely be a part of their futures. They are taught independence and self-discipline that will boost their self-esteem and give them confidence in their abilities.

The emotional impact of this pandemic probably has the biggest influence on our children. They cannot interact in normal ways with their peers, they cannot partake in organised sport, they are missing out on social and cultural events at their school and the list goes on. These social interactions form an integral part of being a child and growing up.

The reality is that we will probably be in this unique situation for at least a few more months and we have to find new innovative ways to cope and support our children. 

We as parents should:

• Not put any unnecessary pressure on our kids to excel academically during this period, especially not at primary school level. Make sure that they check-in for online lessons and hand in all work due. Do not interfere with their class work in an attempt to make it better or to achieve better marks 

• Stress the process (and effort) and not the outcome

• Help your child when they ask for it, or if you see that they are not coping with the workload. Online teaching is a learning curve for everyone, even the teachers. If your child is not coping, contact the teacher and discuss how to best handle the situation

• Be kind to your child’s teachers. Teaching online is new for most of them and lots of planning and preparations are needed to produce sensible lessons and tasks 

• Manage your younger child’s timetable. If your child is given all the tasks for the day in the morning, draw up a schedule to ensure your child doesn’t spend too much time on each task and in the end, not finish or work the whole day

• Make sure your child spends time outdoors and be active. If you have space around the house, let your child run, skip, hop, or do any other physical activities to burn excess energy. Even if you do not have the option to play outside, put on music and make your kids dance off their energy

• Allow them to chill and relax. These are stressful times and kids’ minds have to be ‘reset’ to cope with the additional stress. Concentrating on something else, like a Fortnite game, may just be what they need to feel normal again.

Many years from now our children will reflect on this unique and challenging time in their lives and entertain their kids with stories from the year 2020 when the world was turned on its axis and we all stayed at home!

In the words of the age-old Persian saying: “This too shall pass.”