The influence of COVID-19 on Generation Alpha
COVID-19, better known as Corona. It has been terrorising our lives for the past year. It has prevented us from living our lives to the fullest. So many people have lost their jobs, their houses, and even their sanity. But how is Generation Alpha doing? Kids should be going to school, learning new things, and evolve their social skills, but due to Corona, this has become hard or even impossible to do.
Mental health kids
Kids can no longer be kids. So many things were and still are taken away from them. Just simple things that mean the world to them, going on camp, Saint Nicholas, birthday parties, playdates, and simply going to school, etc. Because kids couldn’t go to school during the lockdown, they lost their structure. Kids don’t have a voice. Who is representing this group? They are too young to do it themselves and don’t have to opportunity to make the public aware of their problems. Kids are facing social, emotional, and academic challenges. Some experts are even comparing it to a hurricane. They say:” recovering from hurricane Katrine wasn’t done is just a year.” Compared to 2019, the proportion of mental health–related visits for children aged 5–11 and 12–17 years increased approximately 24% and 31%, respectively. A lot of doctors have noticed increased anxiety, increased depression, and increased suicide attempts. Dr. Jennifer Katzenstein from the Johns Hopins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg is warning that kids’ mental health issues are on the rise because of this pandemic.
What about kids who have a bad home situation? Kids, who are the victim of domestic violence? How does the lockdown/corona influence them? In general, 1 out of 4 is the victim of violence. According to fonds slachtofferhulp the number of reports of domestic violence has doubled since last year in many countries. During the lockdown, kids weren’t able to ask others for help. Child focus said:” without realizing it, we condemned some children to maltreatment, exploitation, and abuse.” Domestic violence can lead to kids having less self-confidence, losing confidence in others, and having problems in engaging in new relationships.
Some shocking numbers:
The number of reports of images of child sexual abuse has tripled (Belgium)
There has been an increase of 125% in the number of files concerning the violation of the sexual integrity of kids (Belgium)
More than a quarter of England’s children reported disrupted sleep since the pandemic
A quarter to a half of kids who have developmental disorders have to wait more than a half a year before getting help (Belgium)
Education
463 million children can’t follow online classes. So many kids can’t afford internet, a computer, or books. As a result, the learning gap is growing every day. According to Unicef, 1 billion children are at risk of falling behind due to school closures. For kids, who were already living in poverty, this is a disaster. Many of them face the risk of never returning to school, undoing years of progress made in education around the world.
Online classes aren’t the same as being in a classroom. There has been a lot of discussions about whether kids will still make progress or as much progress. Not all kids have the same guidance. Some of them must do everything alone, and some are fortunate enough that their parents have the time to help them. A lot of kids have lost their safe haven. School is not only a place for learning. It is also a place where kids socialise develop emotionally, and for some, a refuge from troubled family life.
Social development
Kids need cognitive and social stimulation, but they are not getting this or not enough due to this pandemic. Because of the pandemic, kids are receiving less attention. Parents are under a lot of pressure. Worrying about money has become a major source of stress. Many parents are fighting to provide for their kids. This all has an influence on kids. Studies have shown that adverse childhood. Because of the social isolation, kids could have problems with interacting with others later on. Kids need other kids to develop. COVID-19 almost forces kids to grow up with adults instead of kids their own age. Adults are living in a totally different world than kids, and even though parents do their best, it is not the same. Kids should figure out who they are and how to interact with peers. Kids need recognition and confirmation from their environment.
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