Firdous Hassan
Srinagar: Seven-year- old Adnan (name changed) has been inconsolable since he was put under home quarantine a week ago. He is among 18 students who tested Covid positive in Kulgam district.
Noticing the behavioral change, his father Rashid Ahmad (name changed) tried every means to calm him down. It was finally a mobile phone that made Ahmad’s job easy. Adnan now spends quarantine time watching cartoons and playing online games.
This is not an isolated case. Parents of the children, who tested Covid positive are having a tough time managing their children in a single room. From online games to storytelling and from cartoons to lullabies, arents are using all tricks to keep children busy.
“He (Adnan) has been constantly enquiring about his friends. He is very much bored inside his room and wants to play. Now he plays games and watches videos on mobile phones. We would not allow him earlier to use the mobile phone, but there is no other way out now. We need to keep him busy for 14-days ” said Adnan’s uncle.
Adnan had complained of fever and body ache when the family suspected something alarming. The good news is that the fever has been subsiding for the last three days.
“We are giving him nutritious food and other supplements to boost his immunity. There have been some behavioral changes like he feels shy and often enquires about his friends and surroundings,” he said.
For the parents of Anees (name changed), painting has been helpful to pass the quarantine period. Soon after he was put under home quarantine, his father bought a few drawing books and crayons to keep his child busy.
“A 10-year old kid hardly understands about quarantine. So you have to do whatever he likes till he recovers. My kid loves drawing and he spends days painting,” Anees’ father said.
Parents of Mahira (name changed), who is in 10th standard, have purchased few novels to keep her busy. An avid reader, Mahira is being constantly helped by her teacher who reaches out to her through online classes.
“I revise my lessons. I also spend time reading novels. I am recovering and will undergo another test this week,” she said.
Schools in Kashmir have been closed for the next two weeks given the surge in Covid cases. Classes for 10, 11and 12 have been suspended for one week till April 11, while the classes up to 9th will remain closed for two weeks.
Parents had approached the administration to close the schools fearing for the health of their children.
