“I can’t do it! I can’t! I WON’T!” my nine-year-old son yells, flinging his notebook across the room. He’s referring to his homework, which I’ve been trying to encourage him to complete for the past hour. He only needs to write two sentences on an index card, a task that should take no more than five minutes. He’s more than capable, yet he insists he just can’t.
The root of the issue isn’t the assignment itself; it’s his anxiety. Since returning to in-person school after a year of remote learning, his stress levels have skyrocketed. To be honest, his anxiety was already significant before that. The initial school shutdown in spring 2020 set off a chain reaction that made everything school-related extremely triggering for him.
He despised “shutdown school,” as we call it, where he struggled to complete assignments on an app while both my partner and I worked from home full-time. He also found Zoom school frustrating, leading us to homeschool him for a while. During his time in virtual classes, he spent half the time zoning out, a quarter of the time in tears, and the rest struggling to get his questions answered.
Fortunately, homeschooling proved to be a much more positive experience, and he ended the past school year feeling relatively happy, despite the COVID restrictions. He was eager to return to in-person school this September, and while that transition has been largely positive, he still grapples with anxiety on a daily basis—BIG TIME.
My son has always been somewhat anxious, especially regarding school. He’s a reserved child who takes time to open up at the start of the school year. Mornings often involve complaints of tummy aches and pleas to stay home with me—he’s a mama’s boy at heart. He’s also always felt pressure regarding certain school assignments, particularly writing, which often leads to significant stress and writer’s block. His struggles with homework have been a constant battle, but since the pandemic, the situation has worsened dramatically, and his anxiety has hit unprecedented levels.
Just yesterday, he spent two hours crying over his homework, expressing his stress about school and even how I put a band-aid on his finger. He often declares, “I’m the worst boy in the world. I hate myself. I hate my life.” Hearing this breaks my heart.
Thankfully, he has a lot of support. His school psychologist, who has known him for a while, is a great resource. They even connected over Zoom during his virtual learning days. Additionally, we’ve started therapy sessions with a Cognitive Behavioral therapist, which seem promising. I hope she can provide him with coping strategies to manage his anxiety. My ultimate goal is for him to feel balanced, content, and confident.
I want to emphasize that my son is not alone in this struggle. Many kids are facing similar challenges. According to CNN, the demand for mental health services among children has surged since the pandemic began, with hospitals struggling to keep up. The school psychologist has been busy with students seeking help, even launching a support group for those dealing with pandemic-related mental health issues. When I sought out a children’s therapist for my son, numerous practices were fully booked, largely due to pandemic-related needs.
I fully support the pandemic restrictions implemented to keep children safe. While isolation has taken a toll, safeguarding their physical health, as well as that of their families and communities, is equally important as mental health. However, the pandemic has undeniably left its mark on our children. The trauma they’ve experienced is real and distressing.
I genuinely believe that my son will adapt to school life again, learn to handle his stress, and work through the past few years’ trauma to the best of his ability. I will continue to support him through this difficult time, and I hope this experience ultimately leads to growth for him.
But for now, it’s undeniably tough. If you’re navigating similar challenges with your child, please know you are not alone.
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Summary:
The article discusses the challenges faced by children, particularly in their transition back to in-person learning after the pandemic. It shares the personal experiences of a mother whose son is struggling with anxiety, highlighting the increase in mental health issues among kids since COVID-19 began. The piece emphasizes the importance of support systems, including therapists and school psychologists, and reassures parents that they are not alone in facing these challenges.