As parents and children prepare to go back to school, there’s a special cohort of kindergarteners heading to elementary school – “COVID Babies.”
These 5-year-olds were born during a time of face masks, social distancing and isolation, among other preventative measures and circumstances, that undeniably affected the development of these babies and toddlers when their brains were developing faster than they would at any other point in their lives, birth to three.
Scientists have long been interested in the effects of COVID on babies born and raised during that time, finding and anticipating long-term effects. A recent BBC article, “The Pandemic Generation: How Covid-19 lockdowns is having a long-lasting effect on children,” noted marks on children’s behavior, mental health, social skills and their education.
So what do we do to support these kindergarteners as they embark on their educational adventures in K-12? First and foremost, we must continue to prioritize emotional intelligence–the foundation of academic, social and lifelong success.
As children move from the familiar to the unfamiliar and face new environments, people and routines, we need to provide them with the support they need to navigate these changes and challenges successfully. And a large part of doing so is helping them to identify, deal with and manage their emotions and understand those of others – the skills of emotional intelligence – the key to dealing with the hurdles, changes and challenges our kids face, and will continue to face lifelong.
Given being able to regulate our emotions, called emotional regulation, also drives academic achievement, we’re not only teaching them how to be the boss of their own emotions, but also in developing agency and self-control, we’re setting them on the pathway to success in learning and in life.
One great way to speak with children about change and growth is through storytelling. In one of my children’s books, “Shemmy’s Wild Ride,” the main character, Shemmy, is transitioning to kindergarten and determined to prove she’s a “big kid.”
With her beloved lovey, Mimi Curie, by her side, Shemmy confronts emotional challenges that many children have during transitions, including those related to school: fear, excitement, frustration, and ultimately—autonomy, on the path to a secure and positive sense of self. In “Shemmy’s Wild Ride,” Mimi Curie acts as a bridge between dependence and independence, and the building of self-confidence along the way.
By reading “Shemmy’s Wild Ride” with your children, you can help them understand that while transitions and change can feel scary and uncomfortable, they are a great opportunity for growth in realizing that ‘I can do it’ – and that it’s natural and okay to still want comfort.
In all of my ECSELent Adventures children’s books, I include tips and a guide on how to read and engage in meaningful conversations with your children about the topics addressed in the books.
So as you’re preparing for the new school year–and many of you have COVID Babies heading off to kindergarten–don’t forget to prepare your children emotionally, too, for a transition that’s big, exciting–and understandably also a bit scary. And with your understanding and support, they can do it and be proud of becoming a big kid too – just like Shemmy!
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