#corona parents: How is the Corona-crisis families burdened
The measures to control infections with the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have changed the social life drastically. In many families, a state of emergency, the demands of parents and children, there is some for weeks. How strong families are actually burdened by the Corona-crisis, has examined a recent study.
Day-care centres, schools and playgrounds closed plus additional contact lock – the everyday life in most families, on the head. What burdens therefrom for parents and children result, has examined Professor Dr. Helen Knauf of the University of applied Sciences in Bielefeld on the basis of an evaluation of family blogs on the Internet. The results of their study were published by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
Charges by Corona-crisis
The first scientific studies have already confirmed the fears that the Corona-crisis increases also the domestic violence and some children have significant drawbacks due to the closure of care facilities threaten. The extent of the contamination by the Corona-crisis in the families are actually, however, only be guessed at. Professor Knauf has attempted to capture, on the basis of an evaluation of the blog posts, the Situation in the families.
Family blogs as a basis of evaluation
“Family blogs open up a differentiated and at the same time, direct access to the perspectives and experiences of parents,” explains the study author. The evaluation has shown that the overriding theme of the blog articles on the subject of Corona are, in principle, high and sustained loads.
A lot of times the stress of the parents
“It is clear that for parents the parents’ role is only one task of many that you need to cope,” says Prof. knob. Because by the way, you must also examine their actual work, the house work is done and in the case of older children, the educational tasks and the processing of education material to accompany. In addition, there was a meaningful leisure with the children.
Care arrangements in families
The analysis of the family blogs have also shown how mothers and fathers in our society who need support, so Prof. knob. Because “the parents have established various support arrangements from a combination of daycare, school, grandparents, Hobbies, and Dating.” Also by the politically and publicly funded family infrastructure is the life with children has become a common social task.
The threat of Re-traditionalization of gender roles
However, with the closure of child day care facilities and the contact barrier, the care arrangements have broken away largely and the responsibility for child care fell back to the nuclear family – often solely on the parents. This is also the danger of a Re-traditionalization of gender carries with it, according to Prof. Knauf roles, as childcare is still generally the responsibility of the women.
Quickly solid solutions
It is clearly seen that parents have in the current Situation to its limit (and beyond) to go, so quickly, the solid solutions must be found, which are also in the medium term, to be viable, so the expert. “Parents need to have in this Situation, on the one hand, specific relief” and “in addition, it is important that you are perceived politically and as a power carrier taken seriously,” stresses Prof. knob.
Children charged
However, not only for the parents but also for the children, the current Situation is distressing. Here to help, according to Prof. knob “normally, day-care centres, schools and other institutions, the basic rights of children to play and learning” and with the closures, the offer fell away completely.
Stronger support for families
“I hope that the needs of the families be heard through the study once more,” sums up Professor Knauf. It seems a little as if the Lobby for the interests of families of missing, because in the other area of timely, comprehensive assistance has been assured, while families had incurred multiple charges on my own. Greater support for families is also offered against the Background that some constraints can persist over months, urgent. (fp)