Parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Parenting is both an art and science of nurturing a child that comes very naturally to some. In today’s world, the fundamentals of parenting are getting challenged but it has been even more magnified during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The mental health of children is bound to be affected by the stress related to COVID-19 owing to loss of usual routine, unpredictability, uncer-tainty. Various other social, economic, and environmental factors also threaten their mental well-be-ing. Parents are the child’s first and longest-lasting context for development. Positive parenting that involves sensitivity, responsivity, caring, communicating, and empowering would ensure positive developmental outcomes in children and adolescents. Positive parenting and self-care of parents would serve as a promotive and preventative intervention for child and adolescent mental health, especially during this crisis.