Parenting in time of pandemic brings new challenges

ANKARA

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the world in several different ways, has also made it difficult for parents to raise their children in a happy environment amid lockdowns and curfews, bringing new challenges to their horizon.

On Global Day of Parents, which is celebrated on June 1 every year, Turkish parents shared their worries and fears, revealing how they dealt with the pandemic as parents and what they expect once it is over.

For Hasret Aydemir, 38, the biggest concern was that her 5-year-old son, Aras Emir, will have to stay away from nature due to restrictions. But, she made alternate arrangements.

“We ensured that our son stays healthy. We ventilated our house more frequently and started growing our own vegetables in our house,” she said.

“I can say that our son has grown as a self-confident boy,” she added.

Hüseyin Aydemir, Hasret’s spouse, said they reduced the use of technology in front of their child and read a lot about the virus to protect the family.

“We accepted this process with both its pros and cons; loved the life even at its worst and dealt with the pandemic by reading whatever we could find. The world becomes more beautiful when you read,” he added.

However, Sevil Sonel, 32, said she was worried about the social development of her 2-year-old son.

“The pandemic has changed our lives. We haven’t been in crowded places for a long time, and this eventually affects how my son perceives the world,” she said.

Sevgi Köseren, 34, said she was uneasy with the fact that Maya, her 6-year-old daughter, has been away from school for so long.

“Losing contact with peers affects you negatively,” she said.

Her husband, Kaan Köseren, agreed with her. “We are worried that our daughter might grow as an antisocial personality and might go through breakdowns in her relationships as she can not go out of the home most of the time,” he said.