ALBUFEIRA

How the pandemic may damage children’s social intelligence

(theconversation.com/12.02.2021)

Children’s brain development

rely on interaction with other kids

Do you remember the excitement and anticipation of your first day at school? Perhaps you were looking forward to making new friends. Or maybe you were shy and anxious. Research shows that such excitement and stress are the two most common reactions to starting school. It is telling that a large part of this emotional response is social.

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But during the COVID-19 lockdowns, many opportunities for social learning have been lost. How will this affect children’s development – and what can we do about it?

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It is likely that children are even more vulnerable when it comes to long term effects of a delay or absence in peer-to-peer interaction. We know that social brain development is a two-way street – the environment, in this case social interaction between peers, affects the brain and the brain affects the emotional and behavioural response to peers.

Physical contact is a key part

of children’s play

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For young children in lockdown, Zooms and remote meetings just don’t do it. One mother, having to cope with perpetual lockdowns, put the problem very clearly to us. “My six-year-old suddenly gets very shy when talking to his classmates on Zoom. And kids aren’t just missing out on seeing their peers, grownup role models such as grandparents and teachers are suddenly gone too.

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Therefore, the best thing that you can do as a parent right now is to ensure your young child has opportunities for play and social interaction with other children as soon as the lockdown is over and it is safe to do so.

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[theconversation.com/how-the-pandemic-may-damage-childrens-social-intelligence-154975]

(texto/legendas/imagens: sutadimages/Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock/theconversation.com)