Herbert Renz-Polster: How can we empower children now?
What impact has the pandemic had on children and how can we strengthen them now? We asked the well-known author and pediatrician Herbert Renz-Polster.
What impact has the pandemic had on children?
Herbert Renz-Polster: You can't answer that in general terms, there are big differences even within a family. For some children, the pandemic was easy to bear, others became sad and anxious, and a few were weighed down by the burden. We need to take special care of the latter.
What do children need most right now?
Above all, children now need to experience a normal world in which they play an important role and in which they can have a say. Only when the children feel "I'm not at the mercy of others!" will they regain their bite. Children now need lots of opportunities for free play, sport and adventure. Trying to get them to function as well as possible now would be counterproductive.
What tips do you have for parents?
In the last year or two, there have been quite a few arguments in families. Above all, I would like parents to learn how to deal with conflicts with their children better. There is still so much hurt and offense. That we develop a real team spirit, also as a family, that's the basis for me.
What would you like to see from politicians?
That it supports schools and childcare centers in such a way that children can reliably attend their facilities. Education policy must not be about making children "jump over sticks" again; now children need to re-establish their personalities at school. This is the time for joint excursions and projects, where the aim is to build something and discover the world - physically, by hand, artistically and socially. Without the children's eyes shining again, the school curriculum will not work in the long term.
Herbert Renz-Polster is a bestselling author, pediatrician and father of four and brings his profound understanding of child development to the parenting debate. His plea is encouraging and shows what we can all do to help our children develop their inherent strengths and abilities.
