After a long stay at home, what kind of psychological problems can children return to school?

After more than a year at home to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic, tomorrow, April 6, millions of students in the capital will be able to return to school. Children after a long absence from school due to social distancing, a strong outbreak of disease, especially students in grade 1 who have never been to school, have not been used to the primary education environment, inevitably encounter problems. bewildered.

This made the parents worried. Ms. Thu Huong (Ba Dinh) said that her child has studied online for most of the school year. Even though my child has basic knowledge, I have never been to school, haven’t spent a week getting acquainted, you don’t know my face, I remember all the names… afraid my child will be stressed.

“My daughter is a shy child and very weak, so I am also quite worried. I’m afraid I won’t be able to get along with my friends right away,” said Ms. Thu Huong.

Sharing with Ms. Huong’s mood, MSc. Phan Thanh Huyen – Department of Mental Health – E Hospital said that when children return to school in parallel with safety measures from the school, parents also need to be prepared. give children a ready attitude to avoid causing panic.

Especially for children who lack social-emotional capacity, they often depend a lot on the safe environment of the family and have certain difficulties when they return to adjust to the school environment.

“For example, children will have difficulty playing with friends, difficult to make new friends, may even become victims of school violence or have problems in the process of acquiring learning knowledge or reducing learning quality.

Therefore, support for children’s mental health to be healthy from parents and teachers needs to be done on a regular basis, “Mr. Thanh Huyen said.

According to Mr. Thanh Huyen, the first thing to do is for parents to always maintain their children’s living habits (wake up on time, go to bed on time) maintain study time, maintain children’s play time.

In addition, parents can let children have a more independent life, that is, for children to arrange their own study programs, study time, arrange study tables, help with family chores to increase their ability to study. adaptation of children back to school.

In particular, the psychologist also noted that parents and teachers also have to spend time observing children’s emotions, behaviors, cognitive processes.

So in the situation if the child has emotional and behavioral disorders when returning to school, what should parents do?

Answering this question, Ms. Thanh Huyen said that parents should connect with psychologists or psychiatrists and psychologists to support children professionally.

Experts suggest Hanoi should let students go back to school

“Especially to be able to understand children, parents should try to listen, understand and suggest so that children can express themselves most accurately, spend time with children in a right way so that children feel comfortable. I feel that I am being respected, that I am being listened to and live in accordance with the true feelings and values ​​of the young person”, said Ms. Thanh Huyen.

Once again, this expert emphasized, we cannot keep children in the house forever but limit the children’s motor abilities outside. We need to give children a broader context for their own psychological and physical development.

Therefore, sending children to school is necessary, at first there may be some situations, but parents and teachers should always be with their children to help them adapt to the new learning environment early.

Previously, on April 4, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung signed an official letter agreeing to allow students from grades 1 to 6 in 30 districts, towns and cities to go to school directly from June 6. 4.

Accordingly, after reviewing the report of the Department of Education and Training, the City People’s Committee has agreed to allow students of grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in 30 districts, towns and cities to return to school. School after a temporary break to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic.

Hanoi assigned the City Department of Education and Training to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Health Department, to regularly update, fully and promptly grasp information and regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health on the implementation of activities of education, training and safety assurance of epidemic prevention and control in local education and training institutions to guide the People’s Committees of districts, towns and cities to organize and implement.

People’s Committees of districts, towns, based on the actual epidemic situation to decide and take responsibility for sending students back to school in the area; continue to improve and strengthen the physical facilities and human resources for the school medical force, to ensure that the school medical staff is fully equipped and ready when students come to school.

N. Huyen