School closure in Japan

*School closure in Japan*

Just over a month has passed since the government abruptly called for school closures nationwide to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. A recent spike of confirmed cases in Tokyo has prompted governor Koike Yuriko to ask residents to refrain from non-essential outings. A new school year began but most schools in Tokyo have decided to stay closed for at least one more month.

Some experts in Japan fear that prolonged school closures due to the spread of the coronavirus are turning children stuck at home into internet and video game addicts, with a study showing that many are already spending more time to their smartphones and other devices.

Children with no goals for club activities or exams easily fall into game and other types of addiction,To prevent children from becoming addicted, experts suggest that parents set time limits for video watching and gaming, ensure that children maintain their usual sleep cycles and daily rhythms, and create a checklist of things for them to do while schools are closed.

Prolonged school closure and the need to stay home affects parent-child relationships. Some parents getting irritated when the children didn’t help set the table at meals, or didn’t tidy their toys away. The children no longer have contact with people other than their family, and don’t have the release of spending time with their school friends. The sudden increase in the amount of time they spend together is putting pressure on all members of the family, where parents and children are feeling the pressure of being cooped up together.

Most parents worried that their children are getting less exercise and they were concerned about their children’s mental health and the stress they must be feeling because schools are closed they can’t meet their friends.