Doors to form new friendships are closed for the children

Opportunities of friendship are narrowing day by day

Human beings have to go through certain stages in their lifetime. Every stage of age has its beauty. It is often said that childhood is the most beautiful stage of life.  This is the stage of curiosity, exploration, purity, and innocence. Due to their curious nature and sense of exploration, they start getting attracted to the outside world. As a child start entering into toddlerhood,  he starts developing social and listening skills. He is no more bounded to his home and parents. He meets new people and starts engaging with other children. This is the time when he starts forming bonds other than his family. He learns the bonds of friendship.

Can you imagine what will happen if the kids lose these bonds of friendship? What if they forget the importance of friends in life? 

The children of our country, are now being deprived of friendships and friends. Want to know how??

In the last 1.5 years, the corona pandemic has spread its roots in the country and has put forth many challenges, which are being ignored at the time being, but whose consequences will be seen in the future.

After passing the primary stage of education, when children move towards the secondary stage, during this time their closest friends are their peers. It is said that the friends earned at this age are the ones, whom you know and remember for the rest of your lives. This is the stage children understand the true meaning of friendship. If chosen correctly, they may get a lifetime friend. But due to this pandemic, children are unable to go to school, as a result, they are getting deprived of a chance to make new friends. Even the streets are noiseless these days. Gone are the days when streets were filled with noises of children, when they played. Those children too are suffering in their homes, as they are missing their friends, playmates, and peers. The children are affected due to the monotonous online education and social distancing. The world may start running on the track once again after the situation becomes normal, but we will lose these children somewhere in the loneliness of this crowd.

Along with the physical and intellectual progress, emotional development also occurs in this period. Children want to share such feelings with their close friends and peers, who will understand and help them. They want someone to play, talk, study, and share their feelings. If this is still not understood by the parents and elders, then the children of this generation will be deprived of friendships as social distance and isolation will make them forget the importance of true friends. It is high time, that parents should start looking after the importance of friendship in their child's life. They should try and be their friends; spend quality time with them, talk, and play with them. Help them share their feelings and emotions so that they can enjoy their childhood positively.

After the situation returns to normal, give them enough time to mingle with old friends again, allow them to go out and play with their friends. Allow them to make their own decisions, make them understand the importance of a friend. In this way, we give them a memorable childhood and at the same time, you can connect with them more emotionally. As parents, you cannot be their peers but you surely can try to be their Best Friends.

- Atul Malikram