As a mom, I’m worried about the mental impact of the pandemic on our kids. Really worried.
The pandemic has unequivocally taken its toll on the entire globe for over a year now, but as a mother, I–like many other parents–am extremely concerned with the underlying behavioral challenges that may impact our kiddos.
Across the country, children have experienced major disruptions from the initial uncertainty surrounding the virus, followed by the overzealous but necessary health and safety measures required to contain and reduce the spread of COVID-19 that continue today with our unvaccinated little ones. They’ve endured both planned and unplanned school closures, social isolation, and for many, the impact of financial hardship on their families. In many communities, especially those of primarily low-income and residents of color, the gaps in access to healthcare–and inequalities thereof–were exacerbated by the pandemic.
It’s easy to imagine the mental toll the last 18 months have had on our kids, who already feel less in control of what happens around them. Many adults are even struggling as a result of feeling overwhelmed, confused and frustrated as we ease back into our “new normal.”
In an October 2020 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly one-third (31 percent) of parents reported that their children’s mental health was worse then compared to pre-pandemic. Surveyed parents observed increased irritability, fear or clinginess from their children and, perhaps more disturbing, some observed a lack of sleep or low appetite, which signals more cognitive or behavioral issues among kids.
When looking at the state of kids’ mental health more generally, the situation becomes more dire: According to the CDC, 8 percent of children aged 3 to 17 have an anxiety disorder, 4 percent have depressive disorder, and 9 percent have attention deficit disorder. Other disorders are also important to note among children, such as eating disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). When these conditions are left untreated in childhood, they can lead to more severe mental health conditions in adulthood. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but all signs point to an increase in mental health issues in the future for our children.
So, what can we do for our kiddos as we try to help them emerge from this pandemic as healthy and whole individuals? First, get help for yourself. As they say before you take flight, secure the mask on yourself before you help anyone else. This statement has never been more appropriate than now, coming out of months and months of mask-wearing (which will continue in many circumstances). That said, get help if you feel yourself spiraling. Find someone, either a professional or a confidant, who you can talk to to work things out in your head. It can be helpful to join a mother’s (or parent’s) group; there’s strength in numbers, and it can help you realize you’re not alone.
Second, talk to your kids and gain an understanding of what’s really happening in their lives, hearts and minds. You may have to try a couple of times–especially if they’re older. I love to ask my daughter, “Let’s do a couple of belly breaths (touch your stomach and your heart) where you breathe in and out on the count of 10. Then, try to use your words.” Encourage them to speak to you from their heart. In the calmness, you can usually get to the core of the issue.
If that doesn’t work or if you find you may need more support, seek a professional. The pandemic has increased adverse childhood experiences for many, and locating an expert for your child to speak with now is important to mitigate long-term mental health issues–like violence, substance dependencies, and worse.
Lastly, try to usher in a sense of normalcy without overlooking that this was an incredibly tough year for everyone, especially our little ones. As a parent, it’s important not to over-simplify or ignore their feelings, but to help them find balance and a path towards a future full of promise and potential. It’s a universal truth that once you make a step towards your future, it’s easier to see one. Just help them take the first step.
Joy Altimare is the CMO at the industry-leader in health and prevention for over 100 years, EHE Health. With over 20 years of experience in the marketing field, Joy has become an expert adviser to organizations looking to tackle growth, innovation, and technology challenges. Prior to joining the healthcare world, Joy worked on brands such as L’Oreal, Verizon, and Colgate-Palmolive, and at such agencies as Ogilvy+Mather, GREY and Publicis. Joy is a mother to her daughter Ella and lives in New York City.
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As a mom, I’m worried about the mental impact of the pandemic on our kids. Really worried.
An author mom expresses her concern over the mental impact of the pandemic on our kids, and gives some tips to help deal.
