The past few months have had a tremendous impact on the mental and emotional well-being of most people, and young children have not escaped the effects of Covid-19 and the lockdowns.
“There has definitely been an increase worldwide and in South Africa of children struggling to manage anger and anxiety – outbursts that are quite distinct from run-of-the-mill so-called tantrums which some children exhibit under normal circumstances,” said educational psychologist Dr Greg Pienaar, principal at The Bridge Assisted Learning School.
The Bridge fills a niche in education, catering for learners of average to above-average ability who face learning barriers and social or emotional challenges.
Pienaar said parents whose children exhibited out-of-character anger outbursts, with an increase in frequency or intensity, may have been left baffled by these incidents.
Pienaar said factors like a change in routine, loss of safety and security and breaks in learning were some of the factors experts named as having an impact on children during the pandemic.
“All these factors, and many others, mean that children have had to deal with a major and historical life event at a very young age, when they are still learning to process feelings and emotions. Unusual behaviour may have arisen as a result,” Pienaar said.
He advised parents and children to respond appropriately to meltdowns and not immediately react with harsh punishment.
“Remember, we as adults have the ability to understand what is going on, even in our uncertainty. But our children were faced with a tremendous amount of unexpected and immediate changes, ranging from wearing masks, having to social distance, giving no hugs or not seeing important people in their lives.
“Children had to learn to grow up and face fear of death, uncertainty and the fallout from their parents’ fears and anxieties before they were mature enough to handle these big changes and big feelings. So it is not reasonable to expect all children to just have absorbed these changes and coped forthwith,” he said.
“Developing a close connection with the child, spending quality time and developing language around emotions are the best ways to empower a child to manage their anger effectively,” he said.
The Star