All of us are going through different emotional states as COVID-19 has touched every corner of the world and its impact is felt by everyone in the country. Yes, all are hunkered down with daily life coming to an indefinite pause.
With more than 130 countries having imposed restrictions on the movement of almost three billion people not only in their respective countries but also across the border, communication channels including voice and video are bringing changes to the lockdown era.
People are responding in different ways depending on their personal situations. They are increasingly connecting to the outside world through screens they might have once regarded with restraint or even reproach.
As a colleague of mine pointed out, “it’s time for reconnections and reunions. Persons who have not spoken for years are now connecting. And they find some kind of a comfort while talking to each other.”
Since many of us are cut off from normal social interaction, we are opting for voice and video calls as the next best thing.
In every conversation, whether with colleagues or loved ones, topic is about the contagion. The talk ends with an overwhelming assurance that one is not alone in the crisis.
The fact is that persons who disliked phone or video chatting are now hooked to the apps. Leave alone watch parties, there are groups that gather other callers to pray together through video conferencing.
People are now becoming aware of the need for staying in contact with their fellow beings. Even persons who have been neglected will speak with you now if you pick up the phone and call.
Despite that fact that we are increasingly reliant on digital technology and it has become a lifeline for those of us confined to our homes what we ignore to realize is the fact that our children are watching us all the time.
And so they see how much time we’re on social media. As the schools are closed, a lot of kids have no choice but to turn to their screens for learning and any kind of socializing.
According to UNICEF, more than 1.5 billion children and young people have been affected by school closures worldwide. Many are online now taking classes and socialising.
“Under the shadow of COVID-19, the lives of millions of children have temporarily shrunk to just their homes and their screens,” points out Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF.
Video games and social media can offer meaningful experiences during a pandemic like connectedness in a time where social interaction is reduced; entertainment when options are limited; and a tool to help take the edge off of anxiety and fear.
But advises the global agency, “legitimate reservations around the content of some video games and a range of online risks that might befall children playing them can be mitigated by active parenting strategies”.
Parents should use the extra time they spend together with their children while in lockdown to learn more about each other’s worlds, both digital and physical. They should play games together with children. It is a good way to ensure that they stay safe. It can also be a lot of fun!
At the same time, parents should let children know that this is an unusual era in which the rules are a little different – and that when life goes back to normal, the rules will change again.
Schools, parks and libraries will reopen, and families will be able to return to rules that make most sense for them!
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