‘Children Should Go out When Adults Don’t’

* Photos: Anadolu Agency (AA) & bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish

Restricted from going out as part of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) measures in Turkey, children aged 14 and younger were allowed to go out for the first time after a long time today (May 13).

While the ones aged around 14 met with their friends and walked around the streets, smaller children played in parks under the supervision of their parents, unable to keep their social distance that much.

Parents were of the same opinion about timing: The curfew imposed for children should be eased when there is a general curfew in major cities, namely at the weekends. Specially opened today, children's parks were crowded, so were the streets, which were full of people and cars.

'We don't know who has what'

Gamze took her 5-month-old baby so that she could see some sunlight. "I will not stay out long. As I live in a crowded neighborhood, I am actually not that comfortable on the street. We don't know who has the virus, we don't know who has what," she said and added:

"When my baby was born, she could not see the sun until she was 40 days old. Then came the coronavirus... We usually kept her home. We are, in fact, in quarantine for 5 months now."

Then, she turned towards her six-year-old daughter Azra: "It is, of course, something good. She was very happy that she could finally go out."

'We didn't go to park because it was crowded'

The 14-month-old baby of Yeşim apparently did not want to sit in her carriage, she looked a bit distressed. "We have been at home for two months," said Yeşim and continued as follows:

"We cannot control her as she can walk now. She has to stay indoors in the very day and age when she is supposed to walk outside. She cannot spend her energy, she is very active. As she is not in an age to engage in activities, she cannot occupy herself. We could not take her to park. We could not enter the park as it was very crowded. I am worried because the child will touch everywhere. This permission would make more sense if it was given when a curfew was in effect for everyone."

Ecrin is 11 years old, she has been at home for two months: "I am very happy now, I will go out on the street everyday when the corona is over. I learn my lessons on EBA TV, but I think teachers should send homeworks only on WhatsApp groups. Otherwise, it is a bit too much, it piles up."

Her mother Nilüfer also told us: "Children are sick and tired at home. It was not good to say, 'Those aged younger than 20 should stay home.' It is wrong for the young. The eyes of my 6-year-old son Ege were filled with tears when he met his friends online for the first time."

'Children should go out when adults don't'

7-year-old Irmak: "I was very bored, but I am very happy today. I want it so much that this ban is finally over. I think children should go out when adults don't. I don't understand why the street has been banned. We were all outside in other days. Old people are very bored, too. I don't see my grandma at all, I have missed her so much."

'Maybe corona will go away if...'

As for 6-year-old Yeliz, she surprised us by saying, "No, I have been at home not for too long, I can go out on the street anyway!"

Then, she explained the reason: "Because I go to hospital to be injected for my allergies. I don't cry when they give me an injection. I have heard about the coronavirus. It is a virus and makes people sick. Then, maybe, they should vaccinate the ground and the air... If they do it to the ground, then it will rise into air, too. You can say this opinion of mine to doctors."

'She could at least run freely'

Yeliz's mother said that as her doctor was over the age of 65, he could not do the injections, so they had to go to a private hospital:

"It would be better if this permission was given for the weekend, I was afraid of taking her to the park, it was very crowded. At least, the streets would be empty, she could have ridden her bike and run around freely."

* Photo: Ağri - AA

'I don't want to hear about coronavirus any more'

Defne Hena is just 7 years old. She said, "EBA TV is good, but teachers are changing. One of them was with a headscarf, now there is one with long hair. I don't like it. When I write a bit slowly, the subject suddenly changes. I really want to meet my friends. I have heard about coronavirus, but I don't want people to talk about it any longer, I don't want to hear it anymore."

'I will immediately wash the kid when we get home'

10-year-old Furkan also said, "I feel good now. I want to be home for my health, but I also want to go out." His mother told us that Furkan's father was a barber and they had serious hardships in this process. She was happy that barber shops were finally reopened this week:

"My husband is a barber, he was at rock bottom. We have debts, home loan and so... I hope that nothing bad will happen. Now, the park is very crowded. I will immediately wash the kid when we get home."

* Photo: Konya - AA

Distance learning continued on EBA TV between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., namely when the children were allowed to go out. Two friends were sitting on a wall, eating chips and having a chat. They were both 14 years old.

'Football pitch in the neighborhood was closed'

Ahmet said, "I was actually happy at home. I was trying to be happy with what I had. It is good to see my friend." As for his friend, he said:

"I don't get very excited about such things anyway. To tell you the truth, I was not very excited about the permission, either. I was hanging out at home as I liked. I have now seen my friend.

"Distance education is not bad, but I don't think that our country has the adequate infrastructure for that. So, I don't think it gives us something."

14-year-old Mert said that his sleep was disturbed because of staying home: "I do tests and play games at home. Distance education is not like the one at school, but I am preparing for high-school entrance exam. Some of my friends got panicked because the day of the exam was changed.

"I used to run well, but now I feel tired. The football pitch in the neighborhood was closed, so we played some basketball at the hoop up there."

'The ban should have been imposed for everyone'

As for Yarensu, she said that she did not want her parents to leave home even before coronavirus came to Turkey:

"After it came to Turkey, I didn't go out. My private school is online TV. I study until 4.30 p.m. I do some sports. But it is still very boring. I think the ban should have been imposed for everyone, but it would be problematic for the economy. This permission is good for us, but just look at the people over there, how crowded it is..." (AÖ/SD)