| The pandemic was weird for teen friendships. I recently commiserated with another parent about how it's been too easy for our kids to connect by screens, or not connect at all, as we navigated the pandemic and virtual school. She said she felt like we had to go back to the days of scheduling play dates to get them out of the house. I don't think she is wrong, and this piece today offers up reasons to do that, as well as advice on how to help kids connect with one another again. It was easy for many of our teens to let friendships languish as they stayed indoors or socially distanced, as they connected with pals online but not in person. Now that they're back at school, we should not be surprised if they have a hard time making new friends, or reconnecting with the old ones. Will we be scheduling "play dates" again in the teen years? Not exactly. But supporting them in connecting with friends, and urging a bit of in-person togetherness, won't hurt. Which reminds me, I need to thank that mom pal of mine who hosted a small batch of boys this weekend for pizza and goofing off. Our kid was kind of giddy and glowing when he got home, as if I ever needed proof the (in-person) friendships matter. Looking for some parenting guidance? Come on over and ask Meghan Leahy, coach, parenting columnist, author, and parent of three. She'll answer as much as she can in her chat Wednesday. | By Yasmeen Abutaleb, Laura Meckler and Valerie Strauss ● Read more » | | | |
Parenting in a Pandemic These are challenging times for any parent to navigate. Let On Parenting help. Below you'll find a selection of expert advice and personal stories for all types of parents. To keep up with The Post's best advice for living through a lockdown, including recipes to make, shows to watch, the best socializing apps, resources for parents, guidance for managing anxiety and tips for canceled trips, bookmark Your Life at Home. And the latest on school reopenings can be found on The Post's Education page. For vaccinated parents with unvaccinated kids | Vaccinated adults may have more freedom. But for kids, 'the rules haven't changed.' For parents dealing with virtual school | Strategies to improve distance learning | Tips for creating a good learning environment at home | How parents can avoid anxiety around distance learning For parents dealing with in-person school | How to help children adjust to masks, according to experts and parents | As kids move from quarantine to school, separation anxiety may follow. Here's how to help. For parents working from home | 6 strategies for parents struggling with work-from-home interruptions For parents looking ahead to post-pandemic life | The pandemic changed everything about family
life. These are the parts parents want to keep. |
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