Let’s talk about how adults such as parents, teachers and more can have an impact on a child’s life, whether this is negative or positive.

Children usually have a standard routine, they go to school, they either have extra-curricular activities or play with their friends and maybe they have tutoring. In a child’s life, routine is indeed important and they will usually meet the same people. Not only the friends from school and other hobbies, but also the adults. Such as parents, teachers, maybe a sports instructor. All these adult figures in a child’s life can have a certain impact, whether this is negative or positive. This article will look at life before the pandemic and after the pandemic.

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Life before the pandemic

Let’s take a look at life before the pandemic, when children had an everyday routine and parents tried to keep things organized, since a lot of change can be very confusing to a child. Therefore, having a routine will bring balance to children’s lives. The people they will meet on their way are all different. Of course, there might be circumstances that the children will not like all people and that is normal. However, the ones the children do like can have a higher impact on their lives. Sometimes children do not want to share certain thoughts, or things they have done, but with a ‘mentor’ or somebody they look up to they will feel comfortable enough to share those things with. That is why it is important to have an adult’s guidance, who can help them with things they do not feel comfortable with talking about at home. However, this can also be turned around. Sometimes there are children who have a teacher or a sport coach who they do not like, or even be a parent. When this happens, children do not feel safe in their space and likely want to stop with what they are doing. Sadly, this cannot count for everything. When a child does not like their teacher from school they simply cannot change schools or fire the teacher. In situations like these, children are confronted with the fact that not everything in life is good or fun, which is in turn a learning point. When it comes to parents and their bond with their children, it is important to know that parents can have a crucial impact on their lives. This all starts from the beginning, how the parents interact with their children, how they act around them, their behaviour and so many more factors that need to be considered. There are many parent-children books out there, but none will teach parents how to establish a good relationship with their children. Studies have shown that early development has an impact later on the children’s life. For example, when the mother or father have been gone a lot to work, children will remember this. Eventually this can turn into a certain feeling towards the parent(s) and perhaps develop into a mental illness. Therefore, to establish a good relationship, it all starts from the beginning. At a young age children will copy their parents a lot, how they act, speak, react to certain events etc. This copying behaviour does not stop until the child is a young adult, when they know what is right and wrong for them. Until then, they will still copy their parents, since parents are in the end a person they look up to and a constant figure in their life. 

Life during the pandemic

The past year has not been easy for anyone. There were many changes, and routines have been disbanded. With everyone staying at home and not being able to do anything, it has been hard for most of the people. With almost no routine at all during lockdown it has been very difficult to swift to a new sort of lifestyle. This is where adults and teachers are very important for their mental health. With no extra-curricular activities anymore, many other adult figures in their life are gone. That is why children rely most on their parents and teachers. For some parents it has been noticeable that children now cling more to them, because there is nobody else. More than ever parents have an even more valuable impact on their children. With their parents around 24/7 it is important to help their children in the best way possible. Teachers can also be of help during these difficult times. Research has shown that more teachers now are asking children on how they are doing mentally and how they are feeling. The fact that children can express their feelings means that the teachers are doing their best to create a safe space online for their pupils so that they can feel safe and connected, not just with the teacher but also with the other children. This gives a lot of insight for the parents as well. The fact that there are other adult figures still present in children’s lives is very important. Meaning they still have somebody else they can rely on and not just stay at home with the same people over and over again.

In the end, it matters how the adult figures in children’s lives make their mark. Whether this can be positive or negative, they all learn from it. So next time you interact with a child, pay attention to how you are acting around them and try to create a meaningful relationship, it will do both more good than you can possibly imagine.

Sources:

Pandemic shows children’s well-being rests on parents’ psychological health by Sunya S. Luthar

How parents are the greatest influence on children’s learning, but how can this influence be harnessed? By Jennifer E. Lansford

Predictive genetic testing in children and adults: a study of emotional impact by S.

Michie, M. Bobrow, T.M Marteau 

What kind of adults will our children become? The impact of growing up in a media-saturated world by Ellen Wartella, Leanne Beaudoin-Ryan, Courtney K. Blackwell, Drew P. Cingel, Lisa B. Hurwitz and Alexis R. Lauricella