Though the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has disrupted life in a big way all over the world including Qatar, it has also had some positive outcomes on the families in the country, a Qatari researcher on family affairs has said.
“The forced social distancing has in one way turned out to have a very positive outcome in the family relations in Qatar," Aisha Sultan, a researcher at the Doha International Family Institute (Difi) said.
"The youngsters, who used to be away from family on work or study and not spending enough time with the family members, now are finding more time to spend at home and this has resulted in more strengthening of the already strong family bond in our society,” she told a webinar on Thursday.
The event was organised by Difi, part of Qatar Foundation, on the topic “In Families We Trust: Understanding Qatar’s Family Strength.” Sajeda Atari, early childhood specialist, Unicef (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) also took part in the webinar.
“Similarly, in most Gulf countries, men are the family providers and they spend most of their time at their businesses or jobs and do not get enough time to spend with their families. Now they are spending more time with their wives and children while continuing to be the care givers and sharing the responsibilities with the family members,” explained Sultan.
Atari maintained that Covid-19 is more than a health issue and has effected all spheres of life. “More than a health hazard, Covid-19 has affected the socio-economic aspects of life in every country. It has affected everyone and caused immense stress for most people. It has more adverse impacts on more vulnerable families and children. Such families are victims of more stress and anxiety and many adults and children are suffering from it,” noted, Atari.
According to the Unicef official, a large number of families are particularly suffering from mental stress due to Covid-19 situation. “With their limited finanical capacity, many family members are undergoing agonies of parenting, providing them sustenance and education. Without schools it becomes a worry for many of them to keep the children engaged at home while taking care of the family matters in the adverse situation. All these add to their mental agony and stress,” highlighted the official.
Atari also spoke about the ways to support parenting especially after Covid-19. “After the Covid-19 pandemic, there should be interventions to support the families, especially the most vulnerable ones. These interventions should not be only focusing on one individual of the family but for the entire family including parents and children together, “ she pointed out.
Sultan advocated that there should also be efforts to provide mental health support to children these times. “We don’t know how long the situation will last and children are all staying home. They may not be able to understand the situation very well and parents need to be more understanding of their mental situation and should not be harsh on them,” she added.
"The youngsters, who used to be away from family on work or study and not spending enough time with the family members, now are finding more time to spend at home and this has resulted in more strengthening of the already strong family bond in our society,” she told a webinar on Thursday.
The event was organised by Difi, part of Qatar Foundation, on the topic “In Families We Trust: Understanding Qatar’s Family Strength.” Sajeda Atari, early childhood specialist, Unicef (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) also took part in the webinar.
“Similarly, in most Gulf countries, men are the family providers and they spend most of their time at their businesses or jobs and do not get enough time to spend with their families. Now they are spending more time with their wives and children while continuing to be the care givers and sharing the responsibilities with the family members,” explained Sultan.
Atari maintained that Covid-19 is more than a health issue and has effected all spheres of life. “More than a health hazard, Covid-19 has affected the socio-economic aspects of life in every country. It has affected everyone and caused immense stress for most people. It has more adverse impacts on more vulnerable families and children. Such families are victims of more stress and anxiety and many adults and children are suffering from it,” noted, Atari.
According to the Unicef official, a large number of families are particularly suffering from mental stress due to Covid-19 situation. “With their limited finanical capacity, many family members are undergoing agonies of parenting, providing them sustenance and education. Without schools it becomes a worry for many of them to keep the children engaged at home while taking care of the family matters in the adverse situation. All these add to their mental agony and stress,” highlighted the official.
Atari also spoke about the ways to support parenting especially after Covid-19. “After the Covid-19 pandemic, there should be interventions to support the families, especially the most vulnerable ones. These interventions should not be only focusing on one individual of the family but for the entire family including parents and children together, “ she pointed out.
Sultan advocated that there should also be efforts to provide mental health support to children these times. “We don’t know how long the situation will last and children are all staying home. They may not be able to understand the situation very well and parents need to be more understanding of their mental situation and should not be harsh on them,” she added.
