Vincent Martinez
Jan 25, 20223 min
Around the globe, the constant threat of COVID-19 is at the forefront of the mind of every individual, be it young or old. The mutating strains of COVID-19 are inevitably affecting the mental health of every family. With the imposed IATF restrictions, families have to stay at home and spend time together. This situation could have a positive impact on their well-being.
A study carried out by Leeds Trinity University, which started in March 2020, indicates that the lockdown can have positive impacts on family dynamics and wellbeing. Given the opportunity to Work From Home and be with loved ones, parents have come to reevaluate the importance of work and career by shifting their focus towards their family and personal relationships. After lockdown, many parents have expressed their intent to have a better equilibrium between family and work by seeking job opportunities that could provide flexible working conditions.
While we could not discount the fact that most families are experiencing difficulties in making ends meet and that emotions may get in the way of coping with stressful circumstances, some general instances have led to better family relationships.
One positive effect of the lockdown is that it gives flexible time to spend with loved ones, especially with the little ones. Further studies show that devoting more time together as a family is beneficial for many children. An example of this is assisting them with their Self- Learning Modules. In contrast to some of the adverse statements of such modality, many parents felt that their children gained from one-on-one learning at home, leading to improvement in reading, writing, and language skills.
Another is that it develops resilience to the family by adapting to varying situations that could bring family members closer together. With the proper guidance of parents, leading as examples, children can develop a sense of responsibility and independence being able to respond to changing situations, thereby boosting their self-esteem. For instance, involving children in doing household chores and adapting to changes as lockdowns are lifted.
Furthermore, time normally spent travelling to school or work can now be used in getting more sleep during the lockdown, or for parents in preparing real food for breakfast rather than cereals, oats, and bread. According to Sleep Foundation, "sleep allows the brain and body to slow down and engage in processes of recovery, promoting better physical and mental performance the next day and over the long-term." In contrast, the lack of sleep affects our thinking processes, focus, energy levels, and mood. Adding to that, research suggests that having breakfast together as a family could have an even greater impact on the health of family members, particularly adolescents.
Finally, the restrictions of going to malls and visiting public places have resulted in lesser expenses and made the family refocus on their priorities. With the cooperation of every member of the family, each can learn the value and simplicity of living, at home, at work, at school, and in the community.
Although the pandemic is a circumstance beyond our control, how we respond to the situation is within our reach. While families are dealing with stressful situations and that research concluded that “the COVID-19 pandemic is negatively affecting social relationships, which could ultimately lead to negative health implications,” there will always be this brighter side to look forward to. If we focus on these positive effects, it could lead to better and stronger family relationships.
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