A Shot of Hope
As COVID-19 pandemic continues to expand in India and in the world, one thing is certain: the current outbreak will have profound impact not only in the health and economic situation, but also on the psychosocial well-being of societies across nations. Amidst the chaos induced by COVID -19, students are dealing with various mental health concerns.
To help students and parents deal with their anxieties and enable the parents to develop an understanding about the arising issues among children, an interactive session about mental well-being for parents „A shot of Hope ' was conducted by Ms. Preeta Pillai, the Principal, Podar World School, Sherkhi and Ms. Mansi Shah, a career and psychological counsellor.
School closures are preventing children from meeting their teachers and limiting their interactions with peers. Children may feel confused, loneliness, stressed, worried, trapped. The intention of “A Shot of Hope” by Ms. Preeta Pillai was to cater to target these problems and provide solutions that can help to maintain their mental well-being.
Ms. Preeta Pillai, the principal took an initiative through this webinar to provide assistance to parents and caregivers, to support children in these difficult times and build their resilience which is imperative. She also shared some simple tools such as importance of happy times, making the child felt loved and comfortable, importance of being emotionally connected with children, be aware of their situation and to thereby create an environment which is as normalized and joyful as it can possibly be. “We should tell the children that all these emotions are normal. I felt that it is essential for schools to step in as “Home away from Home” to reframe the child’s thoughts. We have to consciously make mental health of our students a priority because it is a crisis, not a competition”. – in her own words. Ms. Mansi Shah shared few tips like the importance of family time, constructively engaging the children and spending time with them.
The outcome of the session was overwhelming. The session was live streamed through You Tube to accommodate more parents. The session, which is the dire need of the hour, helped parents to solve their worries and queries about the mental well-being of their kids.
