Notes

Give your Kids The'summer Slowdown' that they Need

Before the conversation becomes all about summer camps or vacations or sports, or making plans to do all the numerous, many things that we've never been able to do, let's take a moment. Even the most fortunate children have had to endure a mass death event like this. They have been cheated by many adults. They are more in tune than they will reveal to you (or comprehend).



Do not try to go back to the way you lived.



Although we're just beginning to collect data about the mental health effects of the pandemic on children, the most important indicators are alarming. According to the Children's Hospital Association, mental health issues for children ages 5-11 increased by 24% between April and October of last year. Even in areas with plenty of resources even for children that aren't directly affected by the pandemic, school closures can disrupt routines and decrease access to food. This can lead to an increase in stress and anxiety among children.



Research has proven that trauma from childhood, especially when it's not dealt with and treated properly, can cause long-term health issues. Even if a child doesn't meet the criteria for trauma, many children have had experiences that were traumatic. Since the very beginning of the pandemic, experts have been preparing for the effects of trauma on children. As parents, how are we going to do? What can we do for the following week? In the sweltering heat of summer?



What I am concerned about, in part because I have the inclination for myself, is that we'll attempt to fix something that cannot be fixed by overplanning, overscheduling and filling the days with the same activities we had to eschew last year.



This summer, to the greatest extent possible, lighten up, slow down, and let your kids be kids. Instead of trying to make up lost time allow them to breathe and find their way.



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Here's why I'll be trying to follow my own guidelines. In December, when it was an extremely low point for my family, I began calling kids old enough to remember this year as "Gen C." I'm hoping the name isn't a recurring one but I'm seeing signs of burnout in my middle schoolers everywhere I take a look. They're sharper with their parents, and less likely to listen (my son is non-verbal, my daughter hyper-verbal, but both communicate quite well) and arguing in ways that aren't new. 16 months of constant focus on our family, in our homes, amid the world's chaos, will make a difference. We need to be thoughtful about bringing our children from Gen-C into the wild world of "zoomers" if we want to do this.



There was a lot written about burnout and work culture in the last month. Charlie Warzel, co-author of a book about remote work and remote work, wrote an important essay asking bosses to grant employees the opportunity to take a "summer slowdown."



Parents need to slow down and give their children some time. Do not try to provide your children with everything this year, which includes extra programming and schooling. Let them breathe and, if they have to grieve, let them do so. To be angry or uncertain. Try to create the space to ease the struggles of this year and let the trauma-related anxiety go, to watch for trouble spots where we might require more direct support.
53vv.com


I'm 12 years old and this is the reason I received the Covid vaccination



I've been forced to accept that my time is actually lost. It's not easy to accept that. Therefore, I'd like to let my children experience the process slowly. My daughter wants to pick up an axe and learn to fence. My son would like to learn how to swim. She wants to veg out with Minecraft and they both want to do this using YouTube.



But not everything about last year for our family was so bad. Despite the fears and limitations that we had to face, we still were able to unite as one family. We took more walks. We played more games. I bought a 12-foot aluminum boat and a battered Montgomery Ward "Sea King" boat in 1985 and took my kids fishing on the numerous lakes that surround the Twin Cities' metro. My daughter learned how to make pasta from scratch. My wife and I tried our best to shield children from unnecessary stress, while teaching the basics at an appropriate level.



However, children are able to pick up on things, so even in the most perfect of times Last year was not a vacation. Then the school year unfolded with the winter spike of infections.



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We are now able to return to work after this summer. I'm still determined to fight for an equitable education as I have always been as my son heads 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.



If I could let my children relax and let them relax, I may be able to, since they aren't the only ones to have been through the trauma of the past year and one quarter. If we're able to do it, we all have a lot of work to recover from.


Website: http://53vv.com/