How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

How do you think the kids are doing almost 2 years after the start of the pandemic? Do you think it has affected them at all? If so how? Socially? Emotionally? Academically? All 3? What do you think would help if their development has been hindered? Time? Unmasking? It would be interesting to compare children here on Long Island to children in another part of the country where the pandemic isn’t so in your face like parts of Florida or Tennessee. Just some thoughts…

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

100% effecting them. They are living in a world of fear even though the vast majority of people who contract Covid do not get seriously ill. They are feeling isolated with all the quarantining and mandates. Depending on how strict or not strict certain parents are about Covid protocols, kids are missing out hanging out with their friends and going to parties, social events. School social events and clubs while still happening in our school are completely different and their experiences are diminished. Educationally, I have been lucky in my District that we have never been out of school and our remote options are good but it is still not the same. I do know that most districts have not been so lucky and the lack of a steady education is basically putting these students 2 years behind. From a personal standpoint, one of my daughter's get speech for a severe speech deficit and the last two years have been a joke because they have to be masked and can not be touched to help with mouth movements. School social situations are basically nothing as there are no group projects and you can only sit 3-6 feet away from your friends at lunch. There is no hanging out at lockers or getting together with your friends and just talking. The bullying and nastiness in school has gone way up because of anxiety and fear. I could go on and on but the kids have suffered tremendously and it has to end sooner rather than later.

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

I agree with you, it is not good. I always worry whether I am doing enough. Almost 2 years of childhood development stifled. I don’t know what the answer is. Can all of this be undone? We have friends and family in other parts of the country that are not dealing with this at all. I am so upset by it and I feel that the children here in ny will continue to pay for it in the foreseeable future.

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

DD is fine honestly- I don't think this affected her at all. It taught her how to learn to play by herself, keep herself occupied, etc. She had to learn to be with herself which i think alot of kids these days can't do. before the pandemic, DD would have to go somewhere every weekend with me in order for me to keep her occupied. She would whine and say she's bored constantly, and i found myself at play cafe's, movies, mall, etc. just to have an outing for us to do. The pandemic allowed her to learn how to be more creative at home. She became alot more artistic and her letter writing got better too.

I think being in school full time is better for sure, but i think she's a better student because of all the time she spent at home. She is able to sit still at school and focus really well now.

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

My kids are fine thankfully. Obviously 2020 was difficult but aside from masks, everything is so normal for them now. They are in school time full time, they participate in sports and other clubs, they are back to school trips and other school activities but most importantly, they've completely caught up academically from any setbacks they had early on in the pandemic.

I think that in general, kids are resilient and roll with things way better than adults. My kids barely utter a word about COVID, they've just adjusted to the "new normal".

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

I think depending on your child’s age it’s hard to even know. When the pandemic started my DD was 4 and in pre-k. Now she’s 6 and in first grade. We moved just before she started K. She has never gone to school or even lived in our neighborhood without social distancing and masks. There is no “new” normal for her. She doesn’t remember very much about the old normal.

ETA: I think it’s past the point of fixable.

Message edited 1/15/2022 6:51:42 PM.

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

My kids are fine. They go to school FT, went to summer camp, participate in sports/activities, go to birthday parties, have play dates. Both kids have made new friends in school.
They do wear masks at school and indoor sports, and I typically cut off play dates right before holidays due to my FIL battling cancer.
We are very cautious and I think for the most part my kids are ok.

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

I totally think it depends on their age. Based on what I have seen and I work with children in both the city and Nassau as well as having my own, I feel that the students who are in 2nd to 8th grade have had to deal with the most. They all remember everything from before. I also find that lots of children have a hard time focusing and settling down in the school setting. Teachers are getting told by the kids I don’t want to do that and there is a lot of apathy and resistance to learning and doing schoolwork. I have been in the education field for over 20 years and have never seen this before. I am very concerned about the Covid kids.

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

We are in Maryland. My son is 13. He is fairing fine. There is the lingering doom of homeschool again. (if there are not enough teachers) But he actually looks forward to homeschool. He thinks the kids are too loud and disrespectful in school. He would rather learn at home. It sucks to have the "fear" of covid. I had covid over Christmas break and I think that since I had a mild case and no one else in the house got sick it helped with the fear for all of us. He has learned a lot in these 2 years.

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

The initial phase of March-June 2020 was very difficult on all of us, especially my oldest son, who turned nine in May of 2020. He was very depressed and angry.
Thankfully, my kids have been fine since then. They are in school, and with the exception of masks eveeything is normal. They all participate in after school activities, go to birthday parties and playdates, we go on vacation twice a year.
I also feel like they have learned a lot. How to adapt, entertain themselves, become self disciplined with school work, empathy for others, enjoying being home with family. Our lives were SO hectic pre March 2020. We have never gone back to that insane lifestyle and my kids are better for it.
I don't feel like they are missing out on a normal childhood. The stories I read on here really make me upset- kids being locked out of the building in freezing temps with no jackets, remote learning being held over their heads, not enjoying after school activities or lunch in the cafetiria. It is a sin the way some schools are treating children.

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I really think it depends upon how old your kids are. Mine are middle/high school. It has taught them resilience. It has taught them things do not go to plan and to make the most of the situation. Grade wise, when they were home their standardized test results decreased, however, now they are both above where they were pre pandemic and match or exceed the test results of their peers from pre pandemic tests. So academically they have bounced back.

With that said, SO many kids have not and have fallen further behind. Some studies are showing 3-6 month decline for white children, 6-9 month declines for Hispanic children, and an astonishing 12-18 month decline for Black children. I am not sure if that is surmountable for some of the children without massive intervention and aid. I worked extensively with my kids and they still declined. I fully recognize that I am home, can afford tutors, and my husband and I both have advanced degrees. My children did not have to worry about food, or shelter, or going out to brave stores. They have an enormous leg up on others who do not have that.


I worry about the emotional well being of my children. I know they suffered emotionally. Zooming and texting friends was not enough. Emotionally they suffered a lot. I think there will be lasting emotional scars for all children.

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

My kids did ok academically even though they only went to school 2-3x a week for 3/4 last school year…. My older son needed a lot of guidance though - he’s a bright kid but won’t read comments and feedback and did the bare minimum.

Socially it had a major impact. My older son went biking with a neighbor 2 mos into the pandemic and came home so happy. I didn’t realize how upset he was. The kids at school now look so happy too being able to play. Hopefully things continue to improve so the damage doesn’t get worse.

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

We moved to NC 3.5 years ago and I’m so grateful we got out of NY before the craziness. I live just north of Charlotte, in a county that’s pretty red so we were never shut down for that long. Remote learning March 20. Kids went back full time in Oct 20. We had to ride out the masks for a year in school which I absolutely hated for them. Daughter didn’t seem to mind much but I am of the belief that it can’t be good for your immune system. Once they started making the call this year that masks would be optional, I told her it was her choice if she wanted to wear it or not. She actually jumped for joy and said nope! And most kids here made the same decision. I’ve never seen kids so happy to see one another’s faces. That tells me it did have an effect on them and it’s definitely something they will remember.

When remote, my daughter is a good student so she did fine, but she disliked me as her teacher and honestly missed all her friends (she’s very social). But she’s also go with the flow so she took it in stride. I didn’t see the pandemic really effect her in that way, but I can see how it would for other kids.

Let me know if you want a different perspective on any other areas since we are not in NYS. Quite different here and to be honest, I don’t think I personally could have survived being in lockdown in NY so I can’t even imagine what all your kids have gone through.

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

My son is in first grade now so he’s never had a normal school year since starting school. He went from from pre-k where he had many friends and no issues socially to kindergarten with all new kids and so many rules. They were 6 feet apart, with masks, not allowed to turn and talk to each other. No group work. Not allowed to play games. Masks and 6 feet apart at outdoor recess. The teachers did their best but it was pretty terrible for 5-6 year olds. There was no way for the kids to bond or form friendships under those circumstances. This year has not been much better. No play dates. No birthday parties. All ways kids form friendships. 2 years into school he hasn’t made any strong friendships. I think the kids a year or two older who started school in pre covid times and had opportunities to make friends in normal circumstances were definitely lucky. It all makes me so sad that this has affected him for life. These young ages are usually the easiest to make friends.

How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Many kids - specifically MS and HS students - are not fine. Last year I had honor roll students who were barely getting a 65. So many kids were getting counseling in and out of school. This year I have noticed an improvement, but I think it happens to be my specific group of kids and the community I build in the classroom as when I ask their others teachers they seem to be different students. Many of these students have supportive parents and the means to help their children and they are still struggling. Many of my colleagues have stated that many students have lost their “grit”. They do what is expected, but no more. They do not seek to challenge themselves. They are specifically talking about “high flyers” which is concerning to me.

My son appears to be fine and he’s in elementary school. He’s been in person since Fall 2020 full time and his teacher still did all the normal things. He’s been doing sports since spring 2021. We’re members of a pool club where he plays with other kids and his best friend is over our house every day. He’s definitely “right at grade level” in terms of reading and writing. I do think missing spring 2020 was a detriment to him.

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Not doing good and I think it’s worse now then it was two years ago. Every quarantine brings my son in to a deeper black hole. Academically its the worse he’s ever been.

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Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later

Message edited 1/16/2022 12:18:25 PM.

Re: How are the kids doing almost 2 years later