The advance of the coronavirus covers all the informative spaces and conversations between people. The devastating Covid-19 is relentlessly spreading through every corner of the world. And children are very emotionally affected. The little ones must obey their families by prescription of state organisms in their moments of learning, leisure and contact with the people they love the most, such as their grandparents and whose relationships are altered in the most abrupt and decisive way possible. And "all this has effects, especially in boys and girls, anticipating mourning processes for the loss of a loved one," says Antoni Jiménez Massana, psychologist and social educator.
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- The pending farewells
None of us ever wished for an isolation of this nature. 12-year-old Pablo Míguez has not only broken his routine of visiting his grandfather with dementia three times a week in a residence, his heart has also been broken by not being able to share those unique moments. His mother has encouraged him to write a letter for her, which he has titled: "Grandfather, they are taking me away from you and I am angry. "
The letter says the following:
Hi, Grandpa. Dads won't let me leave the house. They say there is a virus on the street and nobody goes out because they can get sick. I can't go to school or play with my friends.
Grandpa, they take me away from you and I'm angry. It could be that I did something wrong and they are punishing me without seeing you. I feel like I'm failing you.
Last night I heard Mom tell a friend on the phone that she felt overwhelmed and sad about what is coming, because of me ... She said her boss will probably fire her. Dad keeps working delivering food to the supermarket. He wears a mask.
Mom hurts that you're alone. Yesterday they forbade you to see you. Make sure you are strong and will be well cared for.
Grandpa, we can't hug you and pat your face. You liked it, you smiled to see and feel me. I liked teaching you the tasks I do at school and telling you jokes.
I trust people who are looking for a vaccine. Doctors and nurses help and heal us. This is like a test, like a Play game. You have to go through different stages until you win the game.
Now I feel a little like you, grandfather, closed in on myself and between four walls. We cannot do what we want. We want to flee with force, although it is not the right thing and they stop us. I only think about the moment to meet again and hug and kiss you again. That does cure any pain. Wait for me, okay? I won't forget you . "
We must keep the elderly very present
The essential rule is: stay home and calm down. "We must prevent the measures from violating children and when the physical distance cannot be broken, it is important to speak in present terms. When we see our loved ones again we will hug them tightly. With this, our minors will feel more secure ”, affirms Maite Díaz Alonso, counselor of a school in Vigo. The children are with their parents, while the grandparents cannot go through the doors of their house. We must support the elderly population, listen and give importance to the psychological state of our minors, doing our part so that this stage passes positively.
It is convenient to find other methods to communicate. “You have to introduce absent people to conversations, review photos where they appear and facilitate calls, video calls and messages between them. It is better that they know how they are than any reasoning ”, adds Antoni Jiménez Massana.
The child needs to feel protected
We need to learn to live temporarily without showing affection and contact with those closest to us. The child lives between barriers, coldness and distance between people. It is devastating. Parents are left with the hard work of explaining, making them feel protected, comfortable in their shelter and with their thoughts on future improvements.
Love improves everything and we are limited to give it. However, we must have faith and hope to recover the life we had. “What we see changes what we know. What we know changes what we see ”(J. Piaget). The human being must open up to the world and be filled with teachings that allow him to know, mature and face what comes. Without alarming the child, the father will facilitate the coping of the situation.
