Socializing for Kids Post-Pandemic
David Peachment
July 6th, 2022
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Socializing for Kids Post-Pandemic
The world has changed much over the past couple of years. And one of the most impacted groups is children. As we are exiting the global pandemic, the question arises: How are my kids going to socialize? Are they fine playing online video games with their friends? Can they wait another year before mixing with strangers? These are important questions, for sure, and tricky ones for navigating our new post-pandemic world. In this blog post, I’m going to talk about some of the essential learning children have missed out on, why it’s so important, and how to start them socializing with friends and new people again. So, without further ado, Let’s dive right in!
They’ve Missed Out Over the Last Two Years
Over the course of the pandemic, it has been a whirlwind of constant change. Lockdowns, masking, distancing, changing guidelines and rules, going to school, doing school from home, and so much more. For kids especially, it has been a real challenge. Not only did everything they know get turned upside down, but they also have been missing out on critical growth at their young age. Recent studies have shown that kids growing up in the pandemic are a little developmentally delayed. Largely because of decreased social interaction. They are spending more time at home on screens, and not socializing and making new friends. This ultimately leads to less emotional intelligence, a lack of ability to read facial cues, and lesser social intelligence. And that is why it is more important than ever to get kids socializing again!
Why It’s So Critical
Missing out on important social skills can have ramifications for later in life. Kids will find it harder to relate to people, understand nuances in communication, and they’ll generally find life trickier to navigate. They won’t understand the fundamentals of body language, facial cues, and the richness of everyday conversation. By skipping these critical skills and steps, they’ll be put at a serious disadvantage over other kids. Every job posting in existence asks for excellent communication skills. If a child doesn’t get the time to work on those, they may miss out on life-changing opportunities! It’ll make it harder to make friends later in life, get those career options, and will set them back from climbing the ladder of life. Now I’m not trying to make it seem like if kids skip out on a year of socializing that their life will be in shambles. But it is important to note that the longer they go without developing these critical skills, the more challenging it will be to get them later or properly navigate their lives.
How to Get Back Into It
There are many ways to get back into it. Safety is still a top concern for many people, so navigating your kids meeting new people can be tricky. Some ways to do this are through clubs, summer camps, and event nights. With restrictions loosening over the summer, and the chance of contracting a sickness outside a lot lower than inside, now is the perfect time to get out and move again. Summer camps, for example, are an excellent way for kids to meet other kids, learn new skills, and have a ton of fun! Just make sure to research the camps your kids are interested in, and see if they have the safety protocols in place that you care about. For a quick and blatant self-promotion, if you happen to live in the Calgary, Alberta area, Coded Minds is now offering summer camps and clubs! Clubs are another terrific way for kids to socialize. These are typically comprised of the same small group of kids meeting weekly. It’s another fantastic method for meeting new friends and learning simultaneously! And because they’ll see the same people every week, the risks are much lower.
I hope this blog post has given you a bit of reassurance and ideas about getting your kids socializing. It’s important now more than ever to get them back to a (semi) regular lifestyle. Their mental and social development can hinge on it. By taking the necessary precautions, researching the events they’re interested in and going during optimal seasons, your kids will have tons of fun kickstarting their social life and learning in the process! So don’t hesitate to work towards getting their lives back on track!
Until next time,
David Peachment