Many schools in the US are calling it a “lost year”. As students spent the year learning from home those who had started a new school have never met any classmates or made friends. All of this, according to the NY Times has led to much loneliness. The middle schoolers (young teenage children) often have the “most angst-ridden and unhappy” parents. In many cases these teenagers turn to social media to try and give semblance to not being lonely. In a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the number of “emergency room visits that were mental health-related for 12-17 year olds increased by 31% from April to October 2020” (compared with the previous year). However, the article suggests that it´s in fact the parents who need the reset and who need to change their reaction in crisis mode. Their attitude needs to be that while the previous year was awful, their children will be fine. Research has shown that when children perceive that their parents are dissatisfied with them this can lead to depression and anxiety. Positive thinking at this crucial time of their development will help them and their outlook. Perhaps parents all over the world can learn from this research and show positivity for the future.
nytimes.com/2021/04/11/health/pandemic-middle-school-mental-health.html