This isn’t the first time that I have written about children’s behavior and it won’t be the last. I have been dealing with a lot of emotional issues recently which is why I’m not writing posts like I used to do. I am still having to deal with Covid and the reality that it is not over just because everyone else in society has decided that it’s not as “dangerous” as it used to be. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Research shows that it is doing a great deal of harm to the body no matter what age one is or how healthy the person is. As a person with a severe disability as well as immunocompromised, I can’t risk it. My husband can’t either.

I share a lot of the Covid research on my social media platforms and most people just ignore it. Some laugh. Since the new regime has taken control of the country, there’s even more hate towards people who are still masking and making efforts to protect themselves and others from infections. In fact, since the new regime’s taken over, there seems to be even more hate on social media platforms and even in real life situations. It’s tragic; especially for the children who are dealing with all of this.

Recently I saw a post about how Covid is to blame for children’s behavior being worse than it has been instead of screens. I disagree with this very general statement. Every group blames something different. Some examples are pro-spankers will eagerly say that children should be spanked/hit more often. Others will blame screen time. Still others will blame it on the lack of time spent with family members.

Everyone has their own opinions on what is causing children to be disrespectful and act out. The reality is that we’re living in some very difficult times right now. There’s so much uncertainty about everything going on in our country and the world. Young children pick up on all of this and it does affect them. Plus, multiple things tend to affect children’s behavior at any given time because they are children.

We know from years of research and thousands of peer reviewed studies that corporal punishment and other forms of punishment affect children negatively and causes brain damage. We also know from child development that children express their needs through their behavior especially when they are young. However, even a teenager will act out more often if they are not getting what they need to thrive.

So when I saw the generalization of Covid being the primary reason for children’s behavioral issues getting worse, I used my critical thinking skills as well as my knowledge of child development to say that Covid is only one factor in this situation albeit it a major one.

Long Covid is now the number one cause of chronic illness in children over asthma. This means that children are being exposed to Covid over and over again. Even a mild case of Covid can lead to Long Covid. Covid is also negatively affecting the brains of children and adults in the same manner. When children don’t feel well, they are not able to function properly. Development can be challenged by the damage done by the virus. Much like the effects of spanking/hitting children.

Being sick all the time as well as having the adults around them sick more often makes it harder to keep up routines on which children thrive. It’s hard for children to deal with the constant stress of either being sick or having teachers, parents, and other adults around them sick a lot more than before the pandemic started. This, in combination with the fact that Covid is still causing a great deal of damage in children, is a huge source in how our children behave. There’s no argument about it being a major issue for children and adults.

Child behavior, however, is very complex and needs to be observed and understood in order for us to respond appropriately to the needs of the child. I bet that there are some children who are being protected from Covid and haven’t gotten it yet but still display the same behavior as the children who have been infected with Covid. Children are children.

Anyone who has ever studied child development or has ever been around children knows that children react to the environment around them. A hungry child is more likely to be irritable and uncooperative than a full child. A child who is struggling with big feelings about something even if it seems “minor” to us will have trouble with regulating their feelings without our guidance and help. A child who’s being bullied or abused by someone is likely to act out and be more antisocial.

We’re living in a world where once again history is repeating itself. We are having horrible wars. Illnesses that used to be under control are coming back because of the horrific anti-vaccine movement that is now affecting children. We have a president who thinks that it’s fine to be racist, bigoted, homophobic, ableist, and all around hateful. Not to mention the fact that so many support him. What are children supposed to do with all this? I know that I can’t even watch the news anymore and everything is wearing me out. I’m an adult and the weight of the world weighs heavily on me. Children are not able to handle this kind of stress. They are not meant to be sick all the time either. Children are meant to play outside and with toys. Children are meant to be loved and cared for. They shouldn’t have to worry about food or water or anything else that they are dealing with depending on their socioeconomic status and race.

Yes, Covid is indeed harming children and affecting their behaviors! It’s a big factor in terms of how they are developing. But so are the other factors that I have pointed out in this post.

Finally, March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. As a person with severe cerebral palsy, I have often felt that some people don’t give me the same respect as people without disabilities. This is ableist. I have the same cognitive ability to get a Master’s degree in early childhood education. We’re all equal and we all deserve respect.