You’re not getting it. This whole thing is difficult. I realize that you don’t have kids at home, and that those who do have differing opinions on this, and that all kids are going to have differing levels of social interactions and extracurriculars prior to this social distancing .. but everyone needs to understand that so many kids are feeling the brunt of this. It is difficult, so difficult, for so many. These kids who have been training for months for their spring sports, now have their seasons interrupted and tournaments cancelled without even getting to play their first game. The emotional impact of that, combined with seclusion.. it’s something that you can talk about, but you can’t know what it feels like..I don’t even know what it feels like, I can just imagine..I can just watch my child feel it.
2 next door neighbor kids, playing outside with each other, as in basketball shooting games or soccer training activities with their own balls and cones and space, not tackling and touching, are not going to be posing a great risk to society. Each parent needs to make their own judgement call on if they will allow it or not. Personally, I will, for the emotional health & well being of my child. I do not judge parents who won’t allow it. I can only do what I feel is best for my own.
I know that this is not going to change your mind, and you will continue to choose to do what you want, but I do feel like I need to share my perspective.
I am a 1st grade teacher. I am the biggest advocate for play and social interaction for children. I feel like those are the two most important things children can have. There are so many fantastic things that come out of them. IMO, they are so much more important to primary age children than academics.
However, right now is a time to change what we know as normal. People need to stay home. Children need to make that adjustment, too. I know it is not easy. I know sports and activities are thrown off. I know children are hurting. I think about my group of kids so many times throughout the day. I worry endlessly about them. All I want to do is see them again and give them hugs and reassure them that everything will be okay. But the responsible thing to do is to have them practice social distancing from people who do not live with them. Right now is a fantastic opportunity to spend time with family, which so often gets interrupted by sports and activities. It is not an easy topic to talk to kids about, and they may not understand it, but it is what is necessary and responsible. It is also a great opportunity to talk with kids about selflessness. Many of us are not doing this for ourselves. We are doing this for our family members, our friends, our neighbors, the healthcare workers, and the list goes on. That
is something a child can understand - it never amazes me the empathy children can have when we teach them how to do it!
There are so many ways for kids to continue to interact with their peers. Set up a phone call. Facetime. Skype. Zoom. Video games that have online chat. There are countless ways for kids to get their energy out in ways that practice social distancing: Go Noodle (free), Cosmic Kids Yoga (Google it), search "brain breaks" on YouTube. Limitless options!
Again, I know that I will not change your mind. You seem pretty set in your ways. But I think it's always nice to hear other perspectives, which is why I am offering mine.
If anyone has gotten this far reading this message, I do not intend to start a debate. I will not be checking back in this thread, so I apologize if I do not respond to your comments.
Everybody please stay safe and healthy. Practice social distancing. So many amazing, wonderful people are depending on us. It's the least we can do.
