Children growing up through Covid-19 in America will have a different childhood experience than those who didn’t and the mental health of the younger generation will be deeply affected. 

PLD Junior Chloe Stotz found this to be true, seeing this happen through her own younger siblings. 

“I think it’s been really hard on them,” Stotz said, “My little sister always had so much energy, so being stuck inside has been a big struggle for her and the rest of my family.”

be devastating to children who are still growing up and still learning how to be members of society. 

When going back to school there will be new guidelines that children will have to adhere to quickly at such young ages. This includes wearing face masks and staying further away from other people. Everything they once knew will be completely changed and have to become the new normal for them.

Math Teacher Christopher Mullins believes that the experiences students face today will positively affect their lives.

“They will see the importance of in-person learning but also develop the ability to adjust on the fly while not adjusting your own standards. It should make them more prepared for careers simply by having lived and adapted through these crazy times. It may also teach them to not take our way of life for granted,” Mullins said. 

Being away from school can also affect children’s mental health as well, schools being a source for counseling for those who cannot go out and go seek help. For some children, being at home all the time is not ideal as the school may be their safe space and shelter.

An article from BBC states, “…for a sizeable chunk – 35% – of vulnerable adolescents being treated for mental health issues, schools are the only source of support for their problems.”

Adolescence and childhood is an important part of life that involves critical development. This will either benefit them or develop a problem that will be with them for the rest of their lives, so having somewhere to go to would be beneficial to many children.

The article gives many important and insightful details on how Covid-19 and quarantine have affected children from all different backgrounds and for different kinds of situations, including intellectual development and widening inequalities.

“I think experiencing a little adversity at a young age, within reason, is a healthy thing. Each generation of people has a defining moment, maybe this will be theirs and maybe not. I know that this pandemic has been much harder for some than others and will definitely be something they never forget. How it affects them in the future will depend totally on what lessons they learn from the experience,” Mullins also said.

Regardless of the outcome of the pandemic, our generation, and especially the younger children, will be greatly affected. Children will learn many important things about themselves and the outside world that may or may not be useful to them when they’re older.