40. The positive impact of the coronavirus lockdown on (some) family lives
There
is at least one thing that must be said about this lockdown, as a positive.
Most parents know that, once their children become teenagers, most of them will
disappear into their own world, limiting contact with their family as much as
possible. The thought of being seen walking with their parents is, to
teenagers, tantamount to social scorn and exclusion. But coronavirus has
changed this. What really catches the eye when out at the moment is seeing 16
year olds walking in the countryside with their parents, with a smile on their
faces. And parents smiling too! Both sides communicating, actually talking to
each other, whilst exercising together. I never thought I would see the day,
and I would not have expected a global pandemic to be that powerful. Will some
of this remain, once normality is resumed? That would be a huge positive
change, both groups understanding that there is more to intergenerational
communication than homework and house chores, that it can be enriching and fun
Length: 997 characters
Length: 997 characters
Comments
From my point of view, the new situation is way more natural than the "previous normality". If you think of it, the weird thing is parking a 2 years old child in a kindergarten with a bunch of strangers for some hours while you attend your daily tasks.
But keeping your productivity while you are father, teacher, housekeeper and a concerned citizen in the same time frame is way more challenging than it could seem at first sight. And that is particularly intense when you have small children or babies. In that case, it becomes a matter of survival by avoiding a heart attack...