benefits of washing one’s hands regularly, the market value of hand sanitizers and masks sky-rocketing, and the announcements of nationwide lockdown and curfews- all because of the onset of a viral contagious disease called The COVID-19, the world seems to have come to a standstill.
The sudden lockdown has stirred up some chaos within many individuals, the once busy set of people have now suddenly been presented with an ample free time devoid of the usual work-load and traffic. With the closing down of educational institutions everywhere, many parents of the school-going children have been faced with a pivotal question- ‘Will my child lose a year of education?’ But, education isn’t always limited inside the walls of schools and colleges; it begins at home, like everything else.
The lockdown has presented the parents and their children valuable time to spend together, to have a quality time of learning from each other. Usually, the busy schedule of both the child and the parents bar them from having extra time to converse, now this time could be utilized to do the same. Parents could teach their children many things, passing down their blessings in the form of hobbies like reading, painting, and cooking, baking, gardening or even through games of chess, board games, etc. This is a perfect time for the parents to listen to their children and learn more about his/her aspirations, interests and dreams, which further help a child to be more close to his/her family.
A teacher could also utilize this time to re-connect with themselves and their family. It’s a
perfect time to embark on their creative journey by writing or painting, even reading those old
books that have been stacked and forgotten for ages. It’s also a good time to go through
various articles to read about the subjects of their interest and also to try new things within
the available space of our comfortable rooms.
The available time is also an opportunity to reminisce about the importance of time and
appreciate how valuable it is, it is an opportunity to just relax and sit back for a while and enjoy
what nature has to offer.
“Stay home and stay safe” could be utilized in a valuable way once we remember the
importance of time and spend it efficiently. We are contributing to a healthier environment by staying inside our houses and spending the precious available moments with ourselves and with our family. It’s a perfect time to rejuvenate ourselves and get in touch with our creative sides - turning quarantine time into quality time.
- Anand Acharya for Parivartan Team of Sacred Heart School < hianand2008@gmail.com>