Parenting in Post COVID World

Bhumika Bansal

The Pandemic has added one more layer to regular anxieties that new born parent face, but according to experts these are ways to fulfill our aspirations. Kapil Bansal and his wife Shikha, were blessed with a baby girl on May 16. However, Kapil doing his DNB at a hospital in Delhi, has not yet been able to cuddle his daughter and be with Shikha, both of them are otherwise, doing well some 50 km away in Gurgaon. Moreover, given the risk of Coronavirus exposure, Idon’t want to take chance though the choice is so hard, says the young father.

Down further south in thiruvananthapuram in kerela, software engineer naveen recollects how he had to plead with police to let him go when he was out on his motorbike during lockdown period. “while my wife, Jyoti, was still in hospital, I often had to travel home and back to bring food and other essentials”, he says. The couple has been blessed with a boy.

Parents Fear:- It’s easy to imagine how hard the covid-19 pandemic has been affected the “welcoming plans” of many new parents and eager couples but some feels tougher times are only ahead. Bringing a child into a
world be set by unprecedent restrictions is hard enough; the anxiety, fear and doubt about raising them up in a post COVID-19 world, make it harder still. The top priority, of course, is health and safety. Then its also about help others to boost good immunity. I feel there will be a lot of restrictions, especially on travel, in the coming months if not a few years. This may have a indirect negative impact on the emotional and intellectual growth of children, says a
mother.

Ankit who runs an online design brand talks about “multi- prolonged stressors” young parents face today.” As a parent, questions arise of stability and sustainability as a self-employed person, it is a matter of concern. For instance, since the lockdown our domestic help has also stop coming. So we have to take care of our baby and get all the household chores done, in addition to ensure the business is kept going. Multi – tasking is inevitable. Also, with the ongoing pandemic, there is just can’t be any let up about cleanliness and hygiene, says ankit. With the economy in a twirl, pays cuts, and curtailing hound to many young parents, casting a shadow on the family’s aspirations and “plans” for their kids. The COVID-19 situation was unexpected. Many people have suffered in this lockdown, more with financial insecurity.

Some Reassurance:- Psychologists advise parents to stay cautions and careful, rather than been anxious. “The ideal thing is to continue having a healthy lifestyle within four walls. One way of helping kids is get used to certain realities which slowly mingle preparedness into the set of values”, he says. “Anxiety will only make parents more tense, inadvertently driving them in incorrect directions, like being overprotective parents. This may create a vicious circle of anxiety”, says Dr. Deepak Gupta, child psychiatrist.

In such times, the mutual support of parents is paramount, especially in nuclear families, which they lack in a family. “Make expressions of affection, appreciation, kindness and warmth is a part of my life, he explains, pointing towards the development of a “Mental Immunity”. A good way of dealing with stress is multi- tasking as a parent is to adapt careful planning. This will help us to modify our pace and stay emotionally stable. Then, physical fitness also play an important role in one’s life. Acknowledgement and acceptance of the news normal can help parents decide the accomplishments.Ironic but one notable change of pandemic is a drop in air pollution levels worldwide. This weighs in
minds of many parents, especially those who live in cities prone more to effects of pollution.