We are all a little lost at the moment, as if caught in a vice, ill-informed, worried at different levels. Nobody escapes it, not even the decision makers. We all find ourselves in a boat at risk of sinking if we consider all of the work before, during and after the health crisis.
Multiple problems and threats are hitting us hard. Currently, the pandemic takes precedence, with, in the foreground, the fear of dying and losing loved ones for some and the extreme fragility of hospitals for others. We all face a sudden feeling of powerlessness, which causes major stress for many of us.
We are trying to survive in the face of an uncertain future, and the consequences on our morale and our humanity are colossal. We react in different ways to this traumatic attack on our normal (and comfortable) life: with anger, docility, resignation…
Some seek culprits at all costs, when there are simply none. Others isolate themselves and lock themselves in their bubble. A number are looking for saviors who don’t exist either. We can say that we are all walking on a tightrope at the moment.
We are witnessing a “disruptive” transformation of our values and behaviors. As far as values are concerned, we find ourselves lacking compassion, benevolence and mutual aid, with obvious fractures and social ruptures. As a result, our behaviors betray our dysfunctions with inappropriate anger, mood swings, and excessive behavior.
A sacrificed generation
The big question that arises from this observation and which seriously concerns us, as clinicians for children, is whether we are going to sacrifice a generation of children, witnesses of all this distress and these failures to social order.
Children are said to be resilient, and I personally believe that; but this resilience, they get it from their motivating and reassuring social contacts with strong and significant adults as well as from their enveloping and protective social network.
They are strong if the environment is strong and supportive, they succeed if they are given equal opportunities and they are happy if they are not overwhelmed by fear and pain.
So we have a lot to do, collectively.
The impact of the pandemic and its adverse effects on children should be a major concern for authorities and caregivers, along with other challenges. Their future is being played out today, so we must act now.
Quick, a return to normal for all, this other normality which could prove to be life-saving for children if it is shaped with sure values, without compromise.