With the help of her husband, Suroyya Nuril Aqillah, 25, runs a potable water refill station from her home in Mojokerto, East Java, while also caring for her toddler son.

Life was good enough for her, at least until the COVID-19 pandemic began to sweep through the country, forcing families like hers to spend significantly more time at home to comply with government physical distancing measures meant to curb the spread of the deadly respiratory disease.

While working from home is not a problem, the family has tried to limit interactions with the outside world, including by stocking up on a week’s worth of groceries so they can limit their trips to the market. But household supplies are the least of their worries.

“Ever since the government called for social distancing measures, I have been scratching my head trying to figure out how to keep our child occupied,” said Aya, as Suroyya likes to be called, in an interview with The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

She has tried to get her son to play with toys that she has made out of paper cartons, bottles and other items around the house. She has also had him help with the gardening and play ball with his dad on the lawn.

But Aya suspects her son is feeling restless at home.

“Maybe what my boy misses quite a bit is playing with his grandparents and cousins because we can’t go out of town right now. [But] we are living in modern times, so we can video call them,” Aya said with a laugh.

The family stopped going out two weeks ago, which resulted in a break from playdates for her son.

“My poor boy, he can’t see his friends for the time being. But it’s okay if it is just for a month or two. We can still explain that he should play at home with Mom and Dad for now,” she said.

The pandemic has forced many people from around the world to face unprecedented situations, including extended self-isolation at home, which has induced bouts of cabin fever, boredom and even depression among socially deprived adults.

The effects of physical distancing on children are still uncertain. Child health experts are split between the view that extensive time at home could pose a problem for their cognitive development and the view that more time with the family presents an opportunity for parents to better bond with their children and offer unhindered, safe growth.

Firesta Farizal, a child psychologist and director of the Mentari Anakku Clinic, said that children who stay at home for extended periods of time, even as a part of social distancing measures, would definitely feel the impact on their cognitive, motor and social emotional development.

“With this distancing [policy], children won’t be able to interact directly with their peers because they cannot go to school and play. They may become bored and angry, although it also means that they and their parents will have more time to interact with one another,” Firesta said on Thursday.

“When children appear anxious, we have to show that we understand how they feel, listen to their opinions and then tell them some facts that can help calm them down,” she added.

Astrid Gonzaga Dionisio, an Indonesia child protection specialist for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that while remaining at home could be stressful for families, parents should see it as an opportunity to spend more precious time with their children.

“This is a chance for families to do activities together, eat together and pray together, something that not all of us can always do, especially in urban centers,” Astrid said during a virtual press briefing on Thursday with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

She added that parents should try to portray themselves more as friends to their children while providing them with activities so they would not get bored.

“Children in the early stages of development have this dynamic energy that makes them want to keep playing with their peers,” Astrid explained.

Catherine Mayung Sambo, a pediatrician and member of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), said that as long as the children’s needs were met, their growth would continue largely undisturbed, even under current social distancing measures.

Children should be provided with a stable, loving and nurturing environment to meet their needs, but those taking care of them should also remember to take care of themselves.

The current health crisis, while at times frightening to think about, could also become a key educational moment for many families, Catherine told the Post, especially with regard to teaching children about proper health and hygiene.

“During this pandemic, we have to wash our hands more often, practice a healthy and hygienic lifestyle and enact social limitations. These things can be integrated into parenting,” she said.

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