Covid – How It Made Children Socially Awkward
“Children are not the face of the pandemic. But they risk being among its biggest victims. The crisis is having a profound effect on their well-being.”- United Nations 2020
The pandemic brought on almost everyone a year and more of staying home with the opportunity of only occasionally stepping out of the house. For some, this time at home was one for unwinding and relaxing, but for some, it was tough. The alone time away from society caused anxiety, psychological stress, grief and worry. All of these emotions, rooting from the fear of the unknown, are perfectly valid and reasonable emotions during a time like this, but they can also be overwhelming to deal with, especially for children.
Pre-pandemic, children could, in addition to siblings and parents, interact with teachers and students face-to-face. In these social interactions, they could learn about themselves, the people around them, group dynamics and the ideas of self esteem and self identity. However, for the past one and a half years, children have been missing out on the opportunity to interact with others of the same age group as them and this has led to a variety of problems, social awkwardness being one of them, wherein the child is socially withdrawn and anxious in social situations or unable to comprehend a social situation as well as before.
Going without peer interaction for six or more months could very easily drive children to become socially awkward and shy. Human interaction is an important part of growing up. It is important for the social, emotional and mental health and development of children, especially during their formative years. The pandemic has created a situation where children of all ages are being affected mentally, physically and emotionally- and the number of children becoming socially awkward is undoubtedly increasing.
Even though some parents are trying to do their best to provide children with as much peer interaction as is possible through video calls or things as such, a lot of parents may not have the time or resources to help out in this aspect, thus leading to the inevitable rise in the number of children affected becoming socially awkward. This is certainly a tough situation for both children and parents alike. But with the lockdown easing and schools reopening, things are looking up.
If you are feeling anxious at the thought of having to interact a lot more with returning normalcy, know that most people are likely to feel the same way. Even if it takes you time to ease into social life, be kind to yourself, because if there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is to be kinder!
Urja is a fun-loving, energetic teen with a passion for writing and believes in having healthy discussions about various topics to gather perspectives. She wrote her very first poem in the fifth grade and has been writing poems and articles ever since. She also loves to read books and watch films and give her critical analysis on each scene, thanks to her English teachers. She landed the opportunity to write for UpTurn, which she thoroughly enjoys. She can’t wait to see what else comes her way in her literary journey.
