Social distancing has affected the social skills of “pandemic babies.” As Loud Voices for Little Kids, we have been especially concerned with the expected delays in physical and mental development that have affected many “pandemic babies.” According to The New York Times, these children are now entering classrooms and are showing to be extremely behind in many areas. Many of the children from the pandemic period are arriving to school without the proper kindergarten readiness skills. The children born during the pandemic periods are reported to have arrived to class without proper social skills, lacking the ability self-regulate, not having the ability to sit still or pay attention, not engaging in imaginative play, lacking proper hygiene, with lowered verbal skills, and the list goes on and on. While the delays are certainly a concern, we know that with consistency, support, and quality early care and education, together we can help children overcome this obstacle and thrive.
Key Take Aways:
- “Pandemic babies” are entering the classroom and are more behind than the years prior
- Teachers of this unique group of children are now having to teach age appropriate skills in addition to the regular curriculum.
- Not all students are showing delays. Students from higher-income families are more on pace with historical trends.
- Hope is not lost. “It is absolutely possible to catch up, if we catch things early,” said Dr. Dani Dumitriu, a pediatrician and neuroscientist at Columbia and chair of the study on pandemic newborns.
Read the full article here.
