Iago, 7 years old, A Coruña (Spain). I Wonder #10: (Self) Interviews Under Lockdown
Ellen Duthie
I think adults are coping OK, but they are a bit stressed.
Ding-dong! (Self)Interview Under Lockdown number 10!
Seven-year-old Iago is in primary 2 in Spain (year 3 in UK), and he has asked his mother Sonia to interview him rather than self-interview because he feels more comfortable with that. We entirely understand. Self-interviewing can feel rather odd, we know!
Iago is under lockdown with his parents and his sister Sabela, to whom there are several references in the interview. Sabela has functional impairment with brain damage, severely affecting her understanding and communication, and therefore suffering many anxiety crises these weeks. There is also another interesting fact: unlike Iago, Sabela has permission to go out.
The interview was recorded on Monday, April 13. They had been under lockdown for one month.
What don’t you like about being at home under lockdown?
Well, the thing is, I don’t like being at home because I can’t go out in the open air, in the fresh air, be with my friends, dogs, play with them.
And what do you like about it, what is cool about being at home?
Well, for example, I can watch more TV, because these days I don’t have to go to school, because in fact you can’t, it’s closed.
And how do you think us grown-ups are coping?
I think they’re coping OK, but they are a bit stressed.
How can you tell we are stressed?
Well, because you get more nervous than you normally do. I never saw you for so many days running.
And don’t you get nervous?
Well, sometimes I do yes. For example, when Sabela shouts.
Does she get very nervous, your sister?
Yes.
Do you think that she’s coping better, worse or the same?
I think she’s gradually coping better because she doesn’t get as angry as before, Now she only gets angry if she notices that someone is running or if she sees it or hears it, yes, that’s also noticing. And also when someone else gets stressed.
She also gets stressed. We get more stressed when other people get stressed. And what can we do in order not to get stressed?
Well I think we could spend as much time as possible together as a family and that way were are happier rather than stressed. Because the family is doing things we like.
And so, now we are doing school activities at school it’s a bit like schoolwork but at home. What do you think of that?
I think it’s not at all comparable with being at school working.
Is it very different?
Yes, because you aren’t with your friends. When I go to school I always see my friends while I’m working and the teacher is not there, I can’t play with them at break time… well, that’s not so different because very I’m playing a lot because I have more time to play.
Now you play a lot, but without your friends.
And is there anything you like about working at home, or anything we are doing well? I don´t know…
Well, I think we are doing things very well for these times of coronavirus.
The activities, you mean.
Most of the times, it calms us down.
The schoolwork calms you down?
Well, sometimes it does, yes.
It does? Oh, OK.
Yes, it’s something that reminds me of my friends, I’m happier and calmer because I remember things I did with my friends and really enjoyed, and then I see them (my friends) in my mind.
And do you think we are going to learn something from all this coronavirus situation and being at home under lockdown? Is anything going to change for the better, or for the worse, maybe?
The thing is I don’t really know. I think we are going to get a bit more stressed. I think, although I hope not, quite a lot of experts in medicine are going to die.
Are you worried that scientists, doctors, will die?
Yes, because I think we are going to get stressed because we are going to think that now, at the time when several experts have died, because if I’m not mistaken several have already died.
Have they?
If I’m not mistaken.
I don’t know, I’m asking you. I haven’t read anything about several experts dying. Many people have died, yes, but not…
It’s just that I suppose that if so many people have died, I suppose some of them must have been experts.
And what would you ask an expert?
I would ask them if this case is similar to any other virus they have known before.
Why?
To know what it was like, if it can be compared to anything else. I think with flu, yes, because, let’s see, it was not so contagious, but it was deadlier.
Well, it depends on what flu and when.
And what are you planning on doing when you can go out and do whatever you want outside?
Spending the day outside.
Spending the whole day out?
Well, yes, but not too far away, because I imagine that cafés won’t be open and we wouldn’t be able to eat out. We’d be close by, but we’d be outdoors.
But wouldn’t you feel like doing anything else?
Yes, going for walks, going to the park and playing, meeting up with friends…
And do you think us grown-ups are doing well, in regard to the situation with children. Do you think children’s rights are being respected?
Yes. I think so, I think children are… I mean, we are feeling like we want to see our friends but we also feel that when we are here, it is comparable to playing with our friends.
It’s also something you like.
Yes, it’s something we like, just like being with our friends playing. It’s almost the same kind of thing.
Do you feel free? Do you feel you are a free person? Do you understand what freedom is?
Yes, I think I’m a free person. I’m free to do many things. Also free to decide. Free to play, I can play whatever I want because I’m at home.
So you don’t feel less free than before?
Yes, I do, because I can’t go out now. When you go out you are even more free.
You have some freedom, within the situation of being at home, you mean, I don’t know if I’ve understood that correctly… Is there anything else about the lockdown or about the coronavirus or about children, that you’d like to say?
Well, I think we are all doing very well. We are doing a very good job, We stay at home unless we need to walk a dog or go shopping.
So that’s what must be done.
Or to do exercise, if you haven’t done any sports for a long time and you don’t know of any other way to…
But you can do exercise at home.
Yes, but if someone doesn’t know how, then…
They can go out?
Well, they can go out, but only if they have permission.
For example, like your sister, she has permission to go out if she wants.
Yes, or they have to go out in the fresh air.
But she hardly ever goes out.
I know. I’d feel like going out.
I know. Thank you very much for the interview.
I Wonder, Self-interviews Under Lockdown is a project by Wonder Ponder inviting 5 to 18 year olds to ask questions and think about the coronavirus crisis and its consequences through self-interviews in audio, written or ilustrated format.
If you want to send a self-interview for us to include it in the project, please read this entry and follow these instructions.
We look forward to hearing from you!
You can see/read/listen to other self-interviews here.