Catching kids up on socialization skills

THE CLASSROOM TODAY OR AFTERSPRING BREAK-- ARE THEYACTUALLY READY TO BE BACK INPERSON?

NINE ON YOUR SIDE'SLUZDELIA CABALLERO SPOKE TO ALOCAL THERAPIST WHO SAYS THEYARE ALREADY BEHIND.

:DR. DIANE RYAN SAYS ALTHOUGHTHE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC HASBEEN FELT FAR AND WIDE-- IT'SAFFECTED KIDS THE MOST.TEENAGERS AND SCHOOL-AGED KIDSHAVE PROBABLY SUFFERED IN ANUMBER OF WAYS THAT ARE JUSTONLY BECOMING APPARENTCURRENTLY.

SHE SAYS THE LACKOF INTERACTION HAS LED TOUNDERDEVELOPMEN T IN CRUCIALSOCIAL SKILLS.

SAME AGE PEERINTERACTIONS ARE IMPORTANT.

WEHAVE TO HAVE EACH-OTHER TOBOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF AND BOUNCEEXPERIENCES OFF OF.

WE LOOK TOEACH OTHER TO KIND OF PROCESSWHAT'S HAPPENING.

WE REALLYCAN'T DO THAT IN ISOLATION.WE'RE NOT BUILT THAT WAY.THESE ARE EXAMPLES OFSOCIALIZATION SKILLS THAT HAVEBEEN MISSING FROM KIDS'LEARNING DURING A YEAR OFREMOTE LEARNING.

THE NEED FORKIDS TO BE WITH OTHER KIDS ISABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AND ITHINK KIDS ARE REALLYSUFFERING AND STRUGGLINGBECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD THATOVER THE COURSE OF THEPANDEMIC.

PARENTS NOTICINGTHIS TOO--RYAN SAYS SHE'SALREADY RECEIVED AN INCREASEIN REFERRALS TO WORK WITHTHEIR CHILDREN.

PRETTY MUCHTHERAPISTS ARE FINDINGTHEMSELVES VERY BOOKED UP.

SHESAYS AS SCHOOLS BEGIN TOREOPEN, THERE (WILL BE KIDSTHAT'LL STRUGGLE.

I THINKTHERE'S GOING TO BE MOREANXIETY, MORE DEPRESSION, SOMEINSOMNIA.

YOU KNOW THERE'SGOING TO BE SOME MENTAL HEALTHCONSEQUENCES OF WHAT KIDS AREGOING TO EXPERIENCE AS THEYMOVE FORWARD.

WHICH IS WHYPARENTS--NOW MORE THAN EVER--NEED TO PLAY A SIGNIFICANTROLE IN MAKING SURE THEIRCHILDREN DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLSAND DON'T FALL THROUGH THECRACKS.

BE PATIENT AND WATCHFOR CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR.

WATCHFOR SLEEP.

WATCH FOR EATING.AND JUST TRY TO CHECK IN WITHTHEM AND SEE HOW THEY'RE DOINGAND JUST TRY TO KEEP THE LINESOF COMMUNICATION OPEN.

ANDWHILE SHE SAYS THE PANDEMICHAS BROUGHT A SETBACK IN KIDS'SOCIAL SKILLS, SHE SAYS THEYARE RESILIENT AND ABLE TOBOUNCE BACK.

KIDS DON'T HAVEGREAT MEMORIES FOR HOW THINGSUSED TO BE AND THEY'RE PRETTYADAPTABLE AND ABLE TO BEFLEXIBLE.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEYSEE IT'LL BE MUCH MORE FUN FORTHEM.

SO, I'M EXCITED FOR THEMTO GET BACK TO NORMAL ROUTINESAND NORMAL INTERACTIONS.LUZDELIA CABALLERO, KGUN9 ONYOUR SID