CHILDREN VIGOROUS ACTIVITIES DURING QUARANTINE DAYS

The world has been facing a COVID-19 pandemic for more than one hundred days. The virus was initially originated from Wuhan of China, and spread to each part of the world. As of this writing, the number of people infected with the COVID-19 has exceeded two million, and the number continues to rise every hour. The total of victims of the pandemic is more than 177,000 in the world, where the United States is the first in terms of disaster and death.

Since COVID-19 is incurable, all countries have taken preventive steps to combat the virus, one of which is quarantining residents of cities and towns where the disease has spread. Following the spread of the disease in the country, the Afghan government has quarantined a number of cities in the country after one another, including the city of Kabul, which has an estimated population of six (6) million. While the educational centers were became closed prior the quarantine of the cities.

Now that millions of children have been stopped from attending school in order to prevent further spread of the COVID-19, what parents should do to protect their children from damages of being at home on the one hand; and on the other, the quarantine times should not have them to neglect their education. In this analysis, an effort has been made to provide appropriate recreational, educational and health solutions using the viewpoints of experts:

Creating Happy Atmosphere Inside Family

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has put the people of world, especially those living in Afghanistan under serious economic and psychological pressure. For the reason that a lot of people in our country work daily and get a piece of bread at night. It should be natural that in such an atmosphere, the oppression of the COVID-19 and the economic pressure, patience will become decreased and the level of human tolerance will become to an end.

As a result, efforts should be made to create a contented atmosphere at home for all family members, especially children. Because without such an atmosphere, the tolerance for children at home is reduced, which can cause serious physical and mental harms to them. The crisis passes (perhaps too early and perhaps too late); however, the damage of not paying attention to children during quarantine can remain in children’s souls and bodies for years and will hurt them. Creating a cheerful environment means not solely not putting children under pressure and threats at home, but also enjoying being at home with their family members.

Constructive Activities

• From the time when children have encountered a new situation during the quarantine times, it is indispensable to pay enough attention to their recreational matters along with their educational and training concerns due to their mental and physical health. Healthy inside housework is one of the most important and key tools for keeping children exultant during the quarantine, which are as follows:
• Do exercise at home with children; however, the exercise should be suitable to their age and should not be physically harmful to them. Hold sports competitions with them and intentionally finish the competition in their favor, in which case the children will enjoy the competition on the one hand; and on the other hand, the feeling of winning the competition will make them feel content and jubilant.
• Watch useful and educational TV channels together with children. Since watching TV can have many positive and negative effects on children, quarantine is a good time to get used to what children are watching and what they are not. It is also necessary to repeatedly draw children’s attention to the positive and educational aspects of the program.
• Engage children in household works. For children’s participation in housework, on the one hand, creates a sense of responsibility for them, and on the other hand, they become more experienced in housework.
• They should be told humor and stories and meaningful riddles. On the one hand, it is a good activity for children, and on the other hand, they can be taught a lot indirectly.
• Design jobs for children that are both entertaining and educational, because not only do they not bore children, but they can also be useful for the reproduction and flourishing of their talents.

Having an Educational Timetable

There is no doubt that many children in school want to be promoted to a higher class sooner. The COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine times may have created anxiety in children who have fallen behind in their studies. The first task of parents is to remove this anxiety and stress from their children’s minds. Then making an educational timetable in accordance with the age of the children and have them practice it with patience so as not to tire the children. Here are some important things to keep in mind when it comes to the timetable during quarantine times our children:

• Prioritize learning basic textbooks in schools such as language, mathematics, physics, and chemistry in higher classes. In this case, both the stress of the students due to the school’s delays will be eliminated and the learning of the mentioned subjects during the school period will solve their more of problems.
• Besides these textbooks, Islamic books should be taught to students, including the Prophet’s Character, the stories of the prophets, the principles of Islam, and other books. The aim is that a book will be selected from among Islamic books and explained to children in simple language. Related Islamic textbooks of the school can also be used in this matter.
• Encouraging children to have open study is one of the things that must be taken into account during quarantine times. From the time when children are very interested in fiction books, someone can get use of simple fiction books and child literature.
• The opportunity for family gatherings, such as spending time on meal, should be used to create an intimate and friendly atmosphere among family members. Performing prayers together with children and having a few useful words with them after praying can have good educational benefits for them.
• Holding low level informational and mental competitions can be used as an interesting educational activity for children during the quarantine times.

Health Education

Health education should be a part of children’s quarantine activities. At these days, we need to teach children about health issues in a way that they will remember and pay attention to them for many years to come. The short-term implications of this are that we help our families fight the pandemic and other contagions, and in the long run they help the country to have a healthy and sound society. Observing family health concerns can lower overall treatment costs and reduce the pressure on the national budget.

Nowadays, the pandemic of COVID-19 is at the headlines of the global news. Exaggeration in the news and analysis of COVID-19 even frightens adults, let alone children. Keeping children away from this kind of news and analysis is vital. Our children need to be aware of COVID-19 pandemic and its spread, but exaggerating the news and analysis of the disease can hurt children spiritually, because children’s spirits can hold out bad news for a long time.

Washing hand frequently, avoiding handshake and close contact with others, wearing masks and gloves while going outside are some of the things that have been told to children and adolescents frequently in order to take them seriously.

Conclusion

Since millions of children are quarantined due to the spread of the COVID-19 and are stopped from attending school, parents need to pay more attention to their children in terms of their recreational, educational, and health aspects. Due to the lack of proper attention to children during quarantine causes children to have their times wasters and to become harmed spiritually and physically. Some of these damages may last for many years.

Creating a joyful atmosphere at home, making a good educational timetable, engaging children in positive activities and providing proper health education are some of the things that parents should heed during quarantine days.