We have a small body of kids who come to our day care and preschool. And most of them have friends there, other humans who are closer to them in age, and who are all going through the same development landmarks. I think the same happens to us as we grow older too. We are much more comfortable in being around other people with whom we have something in common, only we add a level of complexity like matching hobbies, likes and dislikes, political opinions and so on.
However, the last 4-5 weeks have taught us that it doesn't take any time for things to change. We are now in a situation, where we have been locked inside our homes, with our immediate family as the only company. Don't get me wrong. I am sure we all have lovely families. But in a nuclear setup, especially in our new world towns, we are in confined spaces, with only 2-3 more people for company. Certainly better than the Robinson Crusoe situation, but well, still. We now have limited interactions with our friends and colleagues, and imagine the plight of the kids, who can no longer meet their peers.
In such times, all I can say is, thank God for the advances we have made in tech, because at least now we are able to remain virtually connected with our friends. And you know what, this is working with the kids too. Normally, at Morning Glorie, we do not believe that kids should have extended access to screens. It isn't good for their eyes, and it impedes social development, because they are just so engrossed in watching what is on the screen. But now what? Now this same platform is being used to enable interaction.
We tried a few virtual sessions with our babies, across age groups. Admittedly, in the first couple of sessions, kids were shy and did not know what to do. This just isn't the life they are used to. But now, a few sessions down the line, they have begun to enjoy them. Even a 10 month old feels happy when she sees her friends and teachers on the screen, and even though the intimacy which comes with proximity is missing, the kids still like the interaction. They eagerly wait to meet and greet their friends, enjoy some story or activity with their teachers, and generally feel connected with the outside world.
Our older kids insist on extending the virtual sessions beyond the half an hour that we plan, so they can continue with their interaction. They have learnt to play games online, which they would otherwise have done sitting across the table. Just yesterday, we had a tambola session, and while we thought we would just do basic lines, kids wanted to do early 5 and corners too :) they are now busy planning what their next session should be like, and not something which their ma'am needs to organize, she should just be a part of it.
They are handling this whole situation with a sense of maturity far beyond their years. All of them are. And maybe the younger ones will learn to accept this as the way of life, at least for the time to come. But hats off to the 8-12 year olds, who are not old enough to be bear this burden, who are not at fault, and yet, they cannot meet their friends in the park, go to their schools and day cares, and are learning to study as well as socialize online.
Together, let's all defeat this time, the good times will hopefully come back sooner than later. Let's take away all the good which this time has brought- clear blue skies, clean water, lots of family time. Let us always remember to teach our kids to be strong- no mountain is insurmountable. And let us keep meeting each other through the digital platforms and be thankful for them. They do provide a much needed break from the monotony, after all, human beings are wired to seek a change from routine :)
Comments
Post a Comment