This article paints the story of the Chan family in the pandemic – a mother with a 14-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, living in a subdivided flat in Sham Shui Po, one of the poorest districts in Hong Kong. Mrs Chan’s daugther struggles with online learning because of an unstable and slow internet connection, as well as completing her homework due to eye pain from focusing on the small words on her mobile phone for prolonged periods of time. Being cooped up in the same space without any breaks also led to more arguments.
The challenges the Chan family are facing are accurately echoed in the words of Dr Stock, which is quoted in the article. He mentioned that families that are struggling financially are “doubly challenged” as they face insufficient material resources and emotional support, negatively affecting their environment and relationships. Contrastingly, Dr Stock reports that parents from more wealthy families are spending more time with children, highlighting the significant difference amount of wealth and living space entails under the pandemic.
It is also mentioned in the article that domestic helpers are struggling amidst the pandemic. Their workload reportedly increased as they have to constantly manage house-bound children, whilst having to clean more rigorously to prevent infections. Some domestic workers also have to pay for protective equipment such as masks themselves.
