Being at home with children during the restriction on public gathering during COVID-19: the experiences of parents of preschool children

• Main Authors: Hreiðarsdóttir, Anna Elísa, Elídóttir, Jórunn
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Icelandic
• Published: Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands 2023
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: https://ojs.hi.is/index.php/netla/article/view/3707

The public gathering restriction was first imposed in Iceland in March 2020. Special regulations were set for schools; colleges and universities were closed, and distance learning was almost exclusively used. Preschools and elementary schools were kept open but had to follow certain rules. However, the government encouraged parents to keep their children at home if possible. The rapid spread of COVID-19 had triggered a state of emergency that was a matter of international concern, i.e., regarding various challenges to the physical and mental health of people around the world. These restrictions were not eased until May of the same year. The ban on gatherings made an impact on various aspects of life: people had to work from home as much as possible and some parents made the decision to keep their children at home as well, e.g., due to epidemic prevention or underlying illnesses. This led to families being isolated for several weeks. Society is built on interacting systems, which changed because of COVID-19. Families and children had to adapt quickly to the changes that took place, often with limited information, while at the same time they had little influence on external factors related to the epidemic itself. Families were in a unique situation that no one had foreseen, but the gathering restriction had great impact on children’s schoolwork, parents’ work, leisure time and spending time with friends and relatives. The research presented here focuses on the well-being of young children during the time of COVID-19, when most of society was locked down and schooling changed for most children. Qualitative research was used where interviews were carried out with 12 families of preschool children. The interviews were conducted between March and May 2020, with each of the three researchers following four families. Four interviews were conducted with each family. The study explores what the parents thought important to consider during these weeks, regarding challenges, solutions at home in everyday life, and how it ...