p>Before we start talking about summer camps, sports or vacations or making plans to do all the many, many things at last that we've been unable, let's take a moment. https://balonium.com/ Even the most fortunate children have suffered a mass death event like this. They have been cheated by a lot of adults. They are attuned to the chaos, more than they're ever likely to admit to you (or even know their own).
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p>Stop trying to return to the way of life you experienced it
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p>We're only beginning to collect information on the psychological effects of the pandemic for children however the top indicators are worrisome. According to the Children's Hospital Association, mental health issues for children ages 5-11 increased by 24% in the period between April and October of last year. Even in resource-rich places and even for children who have not suffered from illness or death due to the pandemic directly, closing of schools disrupt routines, hinder access to food and correlate with rising levels of anxiety and stress among children.
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p>Research has shown that trauma in childhood, particularly when it goes unaddressed and untreated, can lead to long-term physical health issues as well. Even the child doesn't meet the official clinical definition of experiencing "trauma," most of our kids have been through an experience that was traumatic without doubt. Experts have been anticipating the effects of trauma on children since the start of the pandemic. But as parents, what are we going to do? What can we do next week? What can we do during the heat of summer?
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p>What I worry about, in part because I feel the instincts to attempt to fix something that won't be fixed with overplanning, overscheduling and filling our days with the same activities we had to eschew last year.
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p>This summer, to the best extent you can, let your hair down slow down, relax and let your kids be children. Let them breathe and find their own way before you try to make up for the lost time.
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p>JUST VIEWED
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p>Psychotherapist sings on YouTube to help kids cope with stress
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p>Replay
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p>More Videos
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p>MUST BE AWARE
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p>Psychotherapist sings on YouTube to help children manage stress. 02:07.
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p>Here's the reason I'm following my own suggestions. In December, when my family was at the lowest point I began to refer to children older than this year's "Gen C." While I hope that it doesn't stick I'm noticing signs that my middle schoolers are experiencing burnout everywhere I look. They are sharper with their parents, less likely to listen (my son is non-verbal, my daughter hyper-verbal, but both communicate quite effectively), butting heads in ways that are new. 16 months of constant focus on our family, in our homes, amidst the turmoil of the world can make a difference. If we're looking to get our kids out of Gen-C and back into the world of "zoomers," we're going have to be very deliberate about it.
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p>In the past month, there's been significant amount of writing on burnout and work culture. Charlie Warzel, co-author of a book on remote work, wrote an important essay asking bosses to grant employees a "summer slowdown."
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p>As parents, it is our responsibility to give our children a slowdown too. Don't try to provide your children with everything this year, which includes additional programming and schooling. Let them breathe, and if they need to, grieve. To feel anxious or uncertain. Try to create space to ease the tensions of this year and let trauma-related worries go, and to look for trouble spots where we may need to provide more direct support.
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p>I'm 12 and this is the reason I received the Covid vaccination
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p>I've had to accept that lost time is in fact lost. It's hard to accept that. So I'm going to let my kids take it slow. My daughter would like to get the sword and learn how to fence. My son is interested in swimming. She would like to play playing Minecraft and they both want to do this using YouTube.
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p>Last year was not all bad for our family. Despite the fears and limitations that we faced and had to endure, we still managed to come together as an entire family. We went on more walks. We played more games. I bought a battered 1985 12-foot aluminum boat (A Montgomery Ward "Sea King," though it's hardly an oath-taking ride) and took my kids fishing on the numerous lakes that line the Twin Cities' metro. I taught my daughter to make her own pasta. My wife and I tried our best to keep the children from unnecessary anxiety while teaching the basics at a suitable level.
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p>Still, kids pick up on things, so even at the best of times, last summer was not a vacation. The school year started and it continued to grow, as did the winter-time spike in infections.
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p>We are now able to return to work after this summer. I remain as determined to fight for a fair education as I ever have been. My son is heading to high school and my daughter will hopefully get her first year of "normal" middle school, however that might mean. I'm especially ready to fight for new victories in the fight for accessibility and distance education.
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p>If I could let my kids relax I may be able too, because they aren't the only ones to suffer the trauma of the last year and an hour and a half. If we're able to do it we all have a lot of work to heal.
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