COVID-19 strengthens the bond between family members  

In the year since the outbreak of coronavirus, life has changed in many different aspects, including family activities. 

With physical distancing and school closures, the burden is heavy for parents during the pandemic.  But some parents say there is still a positive side.  

Salma El riz, a mother of two, who chose in-person learning for her kids, said it is better for children to be at school to socialize with their friends and community. At the same time she said sitting with her children and learning online during this pandemic allowed her to watch more of her children’s work and engage with some of their activities.  

“As a family it is good that we sit together most of the time and there are some habits about my children I did not know before about, I knew it this year,” said El riz. “We do activities at home…we sit together sometimes doing puzzles and when the weather is better, we will go on a walk and sometimes we dance and sing.”   

While children are spending time at home, the bond between them and their parents gets stronger.  

Adam Anbar, 12, a student at Frank W. Begley school, said being in school is better to gain more knowledge, but at home he got closer to his family.   

Anbar said he misses playing soccer and practicing some other activities during the pandemic. However he is enjoying time with his family and it makes him feel grateful for his parents.  

“I miss playing outdoor activities, playing with my friends, but on the other hand I love playing with my mom and dad and we interact with each other and we have fun,” said Anbar. “I will tell them ‘Thank you’ for everything. Thank you for clothes, for food, I am grateful for everything you gave me.”   

 Many parents reported they were concerned about their children’s social engagement. More than 70 per cent were very concerned about their children’s opportunities to socialize with friends, and more than half of participants were very concerned about their children’s loneliness or social isolation.   

Despite limited space, many children still engaged in a variety of activities. According to Statistics Canada, about two out of three participants with children aged 0 to 14 are reading almost daily, and another 16 per cent are reading three to five days per week.