This lockdown has left the children more self-reliant towards learning. The classrooms have become online, and the assignments are all typed. Teachers are finding it difficult to assess the students. Teachers are also finding new approaches to learning. Moreover, they are concerned if students really are able to grasp the lessons. It is also difficult to monitor the student’s attentiveness in the class. There is no chit passing, no eye gestures, and no under the table lunch boxing either.

On the other hand, there are some parents too worried about their child’s learning and growth that they are trying to make the best use of this lockdown opportunity. They are helping their kids to become extra smart in other skills and activities.

But there are also many children for whom this lockdown is only acting as a long vacation. They are passing there time through occasional online classes in which they are not able to develop much interest, doing their homework out of mere formality, looking after their parents, or younger siblings, not having much fun or excitement, re-watching their favorite cartoons, not having anybody to play with, observing their family members, and feeling helpless and bored.

These dividing scenarios are bound to create some gap among the children during this lockdown. What happens when children come out of this lockdown, back into the normal schooling, meet their friend’s in person, and share their lockdown stories? Perhaps some kids will boast about theirs, while some others will feel very inferior. Even in respective classes, it might happen that some kids get really enthusiastic, while some may be devoid of any clue. This is something that is bound to happen and one has no control over it because every family is different. It was the school that brings them to a similar platform. How then are we supposed to deal with this kind of possibility?

If you are making your child hyperactive and quick at learning, it is definitely a proud moment for your family, but don’t make them boast too much about it. While you are helping them learn a lot of things, teach them also about sharing their knowledge with the others, and not to look down upon anybody with lesser skills and capabilities.

If you are not able to contribute much in your child’s skill development because of whatever reason, teach your child to have an open mind and curiosity and not to look high upon the people with better capabilities. Teach them rather that they should learn from anybody who is better at the subject. Don’t make them feel guilty for not being very intelligent, but rather that intelligence develops over time and with willingness.

Also, allow your child to learn things on their own without implementing too much of your opinion on them. Let them select and read their own books, paint any kind of pictures, and solve puzzles or Sudoku. That is, give them the resources where they can exercise their minds on their own.

Teachers should know that appreciation and favoritism run inversely proportional to each other in a child’s mind. It is important to look through the good in every child, point it out, appreciate them, and provide them with opportunities to enlarge their horizon of learning it further. At the same time, don’t make a particular student as your favorite because the rest of the class is definitely noticing it and not liking it.

And most importantly, don’t be quick to judge once the lockdown ends, rather keep an open heart for the unfolding of the potential you are going to witness in the kids after a period of time.