It was almost two years ago since I last felt this way. Though I must admit, I regularly get anxious as a parent. But this time, my anxiety is different. It creeps inside of me that it sometimes hinders me from functioning. The effect of this mental health condition might not be the same for others, but I guarantee that it is entirely exhausting and debilitating at this moment.
Frankly, there’s no way I could calm myself now due to this spread of the Delta variant. It was all over the news, and I felt frustrated and scared. I am frustrated because I wouldn’t say I like this whole pandemic thing because of its impact. I lost my job because of it. I also struggled financially, emotionally, and mentally. On the other hand, I am scared because there is still a virus that keeps multiplying until now. And the worse case of it is that this particular disease targets children.
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I am now anxious and stressed as a parent because I worry too much about my kids. I keep having these negative thoughts that they would get infected, isolated, and die from the virus one day. As a parent, I get so paranoid about little things such as what things my kids use and often touch, whom they are playing with, and what they are always up to. It is always about the worry and fear of not preventing the situation once it is there.
A parent’s anxiety is strong because everything about this new variant is dangerous in all aspects. Watching the news and knowing that most hospitals are now in such full capacity is problematic enough. But knowing that these patients are mostly kids is entirely an intense level of fear that a parent could have.
I appreciate the world governments’ effort to keep their constituents safe and secure. I am highly thankful for their effort in fighting the disease and trying their best to process the best and fastest solutions for this pandemic. But despite all the positivity, a parent will always be a parent. And our anxiety, stress, and emotional dysfunction towards the uncertainty of the pandemic are at their peak because of our constant thoughts about our kids’ safety.
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How Deadly Is The Delta Variant?
The number of cases with the Delta variant is shocking. It can carry thousands of viral loads compared to the previous type of COVID-19. Studies have found that the Delta variant replicates more than usual, affecting the body’s immune system faster. But it is not only that. The newest variant spreads more rapidly than transmission, even if the person is fully vaccinated. And when people think about it, that medical finding is already scary. Therefore, people should not roam around the streets thinking they are safe with vaccines because they might still get infected or infect others.
The Delta variant brings multiple mutations. And as I have heard from the news, hospitals are now taking double measures to secure their patients. But as a parent, I am more worried for the sake of the people outside the hospitals. Because until now, there are still millions of people worldwide that are not fully vaccinated and are not accepting vaccines as an option. Yes, despite getting the shot, it does not mean people are safe from getting infected. But at least, vaccines are still practical barriers. Fortunately, there’s not enough evidence on whether the Delta variant makes people sicker. But still, that is not good news. Experts still warn the people to take care of themselves as they have found a twofold risk of hospitalization during the spread of Delta compared to the Alpha variant.
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Parenting During Delta Spread
This particular incident regarding the first spread of COVID-19 was considerably the worse for everyone. It has already created a tool for people’s physical, mental, and emotional aspects. And with this new variant, the negative impact is so strong that parents’ parenting styles are hitting rock bottom. That is because parents in this situation are becoming more and more submissive to stress, anxiety and fatigue daily. And that is not healthy for the children either.
Parents parenting styles are changing and becoming more and more unreasonable. You can’t parents them because they have to try their best to keep their kids safe. And even if they have to choose mental and emotional pressure over physical health, parents would rather pay close attention to keeping their kids physically okay as much as they have to.
Children all over the world have already suffered due to this disease. Unfortunately, until now, we still do not know how this would impact them mentally and emotionally. I wish that this pandemic thing would be over soon.