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Childrens' Menatl Health

 I have read that teachers are reporting increased behavior problems in classrooms. Also, there is anxious discussion about the impact of mask wearing has on the mental health of children.

Now, I am not a psychologist nor am I a mental health expert, but I do wonder . . . has anyone who does happen to be expert in these things given consideration to:

  • children are products of their environment and mimic what they see -- like the behavior of adults on airplanes or, say, engaging in legitimate civic discourse using vandalism, beatings, and threats of hanging
  • that many have had to witness increased hostility and fighting within and among family members
  • that they hear nightly how incompetent and/or outright dangerous teachers can be in their effort to educate them
  • that masks themselves just might be less of an issue than the divisiveness of adults around the issue
Just wondering.



Comments

  1. I'm with you 100%. My grandson, who is neurodiverse, wears his mask with no issues at all. He's been wearing for nearly two years (he'll be five in a few weeks) and it is normal for him. As well, his mother encourages it and models that behaviour, as do I when I'm with them.

    I think the older kids are more likely to be affected because it isn't their normal, teenagers tend to rebel against authority anyway, and if you add in a parent who is against the most minor of public health measures...well, it all adds up.

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  2. Well said, and certainly worth exanimating. I would have to think that these are real factors in the mental health of all of us, children included.

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  3. It is certainly sad to see what has become acceptable behavior these days by out of control adults. It is like they have been given permission to behave badly. That I think only adds to the physical restraints masks give children. We know we wear them to be safe, not sure they understand that and only see that half the face of their friends is no longer there.

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  4. You make a valid point. Children see these adults as role models.

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  5. The rough side of humans has emerged and we need to work hard to bring civility back to the discourse. Several old white men are really turning into bullies and ignorant leaders.

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  6. Our 4 granddaughter have no issue with masks. They are doing pretty well, all things considered.
    The poor kids without means are having the worst time.

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  7. My grandson,who will be 12 very soon, has been wearing his mask without any problems ever since the masks first became available. His Mom, our daughter, discovered she was pregnant right at the beginning of Covid. Our grandson has been so careful to wear his mask to help keep his Mom and now his baby sister, who is one year old now, safe. Our daughter is a nurse, and our son in law is a plumber. They wear their masks.

    It is such a dangerous world that our children and grandchildren are living in right now. Imagine, being a young child going to school right now. Every day is a threat down. Imagine growing up having to not only wear a Covid mask every day, but worrying about your Mom, Dad, baby sister's possibility of getting covid, and then add in the regular drills at school for active shooters for an extra threat. All of this going on with young children, and I heard that an elementary school, I believe it was in California, made the decision that chocolate milk would no longer be served at lunch,there was too much sugar in it. Of all of the things to worry about, the school was worried about one school serving sized container of chocolate milk being dangerous because that was too much sugar for the kids. One normal, enjoyable thing in their school day, was yanked out of their lives. The elementary school's children held protests about their chocolate milk being taken away. The school then decided the kids could have chocolate milk once ever two weeks.

    Everything seems so chaotic every day to me. I pray more than I ever
    have in my life. There were never as many people and situations that
    that I needed to pray for in my lifetime until now.

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  8. My granddaughter who is 9 has no problem with the masks. And she has also been wearing one for the last 2 years. Her mother is a nurse and explains things to her... and she understands the reasoning behind it. So, yes, I think the parenting at home does play a part.

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  9. I think you are quite right in your assessment. Children tend to learn much from behaviors they observe and probably what they overhear. Many adults are giving them an excess of unsettling behaviors to see and hear.

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  10. Good point. I hate wearing my mask, but I do. I think it would kill me if my child got Covid and died. Since I don't have little kids I can't speak from knowledge, but it seems the mask is better than a bad outcome.

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