The Pandemic and Its Impacts on Children’s Mental Health

How can parents recognize and help children deal with the mental emotions it has caused?

We all have and many still are feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and it has absolutely been a challenging time for families, but especially hard on families with school age children.

It’s been over a year in virtual/remote schooling and our babies are tired, weary, and in some cases failing at school. Given the ‘stereotypical’ challenges many of our black and brown children face in their communities, how do we recognize, acknowledge and help them deal with the mental emotions of the past year and anxiety about the future and returning to school?

On a quest to find some answers, I’ve spoken with parents and a few experts in the field of child psychology and therapy. Children may be feeling new worries about changes in school routines, staying away from gems, or separation from being home this past year. Many families have lost loved ones, so the family dynamics are different — how do parents help children comb through their feelings?

Kisha Howard, M.S., LPC | Child Psychotherapist and Owner, Victory Counseling Group, Allen, TX

In my work with children, those that have experienced the greatest emotional and or behavioral challenges are those living in…