Child–parent relationship during the Wuhan COVID‐19 lockdown: Role of changes in preschool children's daily routines

Abstract

Objective We examined the impact of the strict lockdown on 130 preschool‐age children's daily routines and how their routine changes from pre‐lockdown were related to child–parent relationship quality during the lockdown. Background To contain the spread of the COVID‐19, the city of Wuhan underwent a strict 76‐day lockdown, during which children's routines were drastically altered, yet families did not have a frame of reference to use to determine how changes in children's routines would be related to their family dynamics. Method Parents provided survey data on the amount of time their children spent daily on learning, screen devices, play and exercise, and nighttime sleep before, during, and after the lockdown. The also described general family functioning, child–parent closeness, and child–parent conflict during the lockdown. Results The lockdown led to changes in all four routines, but all returned to pre‐lockdown level after the lockdown was lifted. Regression analyses showed that decrease in play and exercise time was related to less child–parent closeness, and decrease in learning time and increase in nighttime sleep time were related to more child–parent conflict. Conclusion Findings suggested changes in the children's play and exercise time, learning time, and nighttime sleep time were related to negative child–parent relationship (i.e., less closeness or more conflict), but favorable general functioning was a protective factor. Implications Our study highlighted family resilience in restoring the children's routines after the lockdown, as well as family vulnerability during the lockdown, as changes in three of the four routines examined were linked to negative child–parent relationship.

The Child-Parent Relationship During the COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia

“…However, Du F [29] and Chung [9] reported worse parent-child closeness during the epidemic. Tan [30] reported more child-parent conflict during the quarantine, which aligns with our study. However, Wong [25] reported less conflict after the quarantine than before.…”

Life-event-induced changes in daily routines: Their association with the manifestation of dysphoric emotions

“…Many inventories have also been developed to measure children's daily routines, measuring for instance bedtime routines [27], preschool classroom routines [28], or commonly occurring routines such as "my child hugs/ kisses parent before bed" and "my child brushes teeth before bed" [22]. Recently, a study conducted in China assessed the parents' recall of their children's daily routine before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdown, using items such as: "My child slept … hours each night on average before the lockdown" [29]. Specifically, "parents provided survey data on the amount of time their children spent daily on learning, screen devices, play and exercise, and nighttime sleep before, during, and after the lockdown" [29].…”

“…Recently, a study conducted in China assessed the parents' recall of their children's daily routine before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdown, using items such as: "My child slept … hours each night on average before the lockdown" [29]. Specifically, "parents provided survey data on the amount of time their children spent daily on learning, screen devices, play and exercise, and nighttime sleep before, during, and after the lockdown" [29].…”