Parental Views on the Lives of Preschool Children in the Covid-19 Pandemic Process

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the parental views of pre-school children during the Covid 19 pandemic and is conducted using a basic qualitative research design from qualitative research methods. In the study, parents of children attending pre-school institution were identified through criterion sampling techniques from non-selective sampling methods. The study prepared a semi-structured interview form for parents with children attending pre-school institution as an instrument for data collection. The data from the semi-structured interview form was collected through online interviews with parents whose children attend the pre-school facility. As a result of the study, parents indicated that during the pre-school children's pandemic process, there were more activities with family members at home, the children spent more time with technological devices, terms such as pandemic, diseases, and viruses were frequently used in their daily conversations, and their negative, boring, and aggressive behaviors increased. It was also noted that children were sleeping and waking up later during this time, thus changing their sleep patterns. Another finding observed by the parents was that irregular eating habits increased in the children's eating behavior. It was observed by the parents that children were washing their hands more frequently than before the pandemic. Another finding of the study was that children spoke with longing about their school life due to the disruption of personal instruction in schools.