It has been 1.5 years since we started staying home all the time. We want to hear from children on how they feel and what they think of their new lifestyles throughout this time. So we did a virtual interview with 13 children aged between 5 to 16.
Meet our sporting young ones who agreed to speak up and let Motherhood Story share their innermost thoughts and feelings.
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Their answers are honest, funny, heart-warming, and at times poignant. Read on to find out what these children have to say and how they feel.
1) How do you feel being in lockdown at home for so long?
Besides their sorely expressed boredom, some of them also had this to say:
Arif: I miss going outside.
Bhairhavi: I feel unproductive.
Clare: I love it! I don’t have to go to school and I can play with my little brother all day long.
Dylan: I feel safe, because I am not exposed to the virus.
Sean: I feel like life is on hold.
Shayne: Sometimes I feel bored because I run out of things to do. Sometimes I feel happy because I can play online games.
Thollasie: I kinda feel suffocated because it has been so long. But now I’ve discovered new things to do.
Yes, we feel you, little ones. Hang in there!
2) What are some good things that came out of staying in?
Arif: I get to wake up late.
Azam: I get to do many things that I can’t do during normal days.
Bhairhavi: I have found new hobbies. I have more time for myself, and I also get to spend quality time with my family.
Cayden: I get more time to read books.
Dylan: I learned how to rollerblade. I got a puppy. My siblings camp with me in the TV room. I can wake up late on a school day.
Megan: Being safe, and discovering new talents.
Ryan: With all the free time, I’ve been able to develop new skills and hobbies.
Sean: More video game time, more family time, starting a super tiny garden! Tidying the house. These are all the ‘big’ good things for me.
Shayne: The sea is not as polluted. I get to learn more about computers, and I get to spend more time with my family.
Shivonne: I get to spend more time with my family. I get to chat with my friends online. I get to learn how to cook and eat lots of stuff. I get to improve my drawing skills using mummy’s Microsoft Surface Pro.
Thollasie: I get to talk more with my father and family members.
Zara: I get to do anything that I can’t do in school!
3) What do you miss doing most?
Everyone agreed that they miss being with their friends. Aww… hugs to you, kids! Let’s see what else they say:
Arif: I miss going out to movies or shopping malls.
Azam: I miss meeting my friends.
Bhairhavi: I miss going to school.
Cayden: I miss going out to visit relatives.
Claire: I miss travelling, especially to Singapore to visit my cousin. I still remember sitting on a roller coaster ride with my cousin at Universal Studio, and wish I could do it again.
Dylan: I miss playing with all my friends in my neighbourhood street. I also miss going out with dad, visiting malls, and going to the park and pool.
Megan: I miss going on holidays.
Ryan: I miss being able to walk to the shops nearby, travelling to places, and even taking walks.
Sean: Physically playing and talking with my friends, going to school, literally anything to do with travel.
Shayne: I miss swimming and hanging out at my best friend’s house.
Shivonne: I miss swimming and playing at the park. I also miss going to my friend’s house for sleepover.
Thollasie: I have lots that I miss, but I guess what I miss most are traveling and eating street foods.
Zara: I miss my teachers. (Isn’t she a sweetheart?)
We hear you, kids. We mummies miss many of these things, too. You’re not alone.
4) What are some things you want to do when things return to normal?
Arif: I want to go to the cinemas, and to visit places.
Azam: I would like to meet my friends.
Bhairhavi: Going outside, and go travelling.
Cayden: I want to go out and run around.
Claire: Travel to Penang to see my Ah Mah and Ah Gong. Go to Singapore to ride the roller coaster with my cousin.
Dylan: Play with my friends. Go to the malls. Run in the park. Go out with dad. Go swimming.
Megan: I want to go on a holiday.
Ryan: I would like to visit some new restaurants and the plant nurseries.
Sean: Go to my friend’s house, travel around Malaysia, definitely have gatherings!
Shayne: The first thing I am going to do is to meet my best friend and swim in her swimming pool.
Shivonne: I want to go to a snowy place for vacation with my family.
Thollasie: Travel. Meet my friends. Go to a restaurant or mall. Visit family members.
Zara: I would like to go to school and meet my friends.
5) What has this pandemic taught you, or what has it made you realise?
This is where the children start to get more reflective and offered more of their personal views on things. Most of them expressed concerns on the danger of the virus as they come to understand more of what’s happening.
Arif: It made me realise that all the frontliners are more important than we thought they were.
Bhairhavi: It made me appreciate things in life like my family, having a phone and house.
Dylan: It made me understand why it’s important we should stay home. The virus spreads so easily through meeting just about anyone, and could be anywhere we go.
Megan: It made me realise that we shouldn’t take things for granted.
Ryan: It has made me realise how we come to appreciate people like riders of delivery services, doctors, and food suppliers.
Sean: It has shown me what people do under pressure.
Shayne: This pandemic made me realise that the frontliners like doctors, nurses, police and delivery riders are very important. Also, we need to practice good hygiene and stay healthy.
Shivonne: I realise that I am growing fatter and not taller, but my elder sister is growing taller and not fatter.
Thollasie: This pandemic has made me communicate better with my family and friends.
Zara: This pandemic has caused many people to suffer.
6) What are you thankful for during this time?
Arif: I am thankful for my parents because they work to earn money to feed me.
Azam: I’m thankful I didn’t contract the virus.
Bhairhavi: I am thankful for my family.
Cayden: I am thankful that we still have money.
Claire: My little brother, who is so cute!
Dylan: I am thankful that I learned rollerblading, having more family time, and got a puppy!
Megan: I’m thankful that I’ve learned new things and get to spend more time with my family.
Ryan: A sustainable family income and having a good education.
Sean: I am thankful that my parents still have their jobs and that our financial status is alright for now, where thousands of people are starving every day.
Shayne: I am thankful that I still have a place to live, I still have food to eat, and I still have clothes to wear because a lot of people have lost their jobs during this pandemic.
Shivonne: I am thankful that I can spend more time with my family and learn how to use the computer to complete my school assignments and to draw my favourite pictures. I am also thankful that I still have lots of food to eat!
Thollasie: I’ve learned new things and I talk more with my family members.
Zara: I am thankful that we still have classes at home.
Listen and Hug Our Children a Little Tighter
So there we have it, our young respondents have spoken. In the words of Sean who thanked us for giving the children a voice, we also would like to thank all the children who were willing to go deep and share their world with us.
Mummies, would you like to know your children’s answers to the questions above? Feel free to ask your children and listen to their answers, and hug them a little tighter when they share.
For more interesting stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!