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2020-10-15
Masks in the Workplace
During the summer in the midst of the pandemic, my county in Arizona put a mask order into effect for all adults and children six and older. Having a job in the childcare industry, I had no idea how this order was going to settle with parents who now had to send their children with masks. Going into the beginning of the week, my coworkers and I were unsure about the response we would get from both the children and their parents. Would parents be upset with us about making children wear masks? Would the children be upset about having to wear a mask? Would we have to refuse childcare for those who would not wear one? We were very concerned about what the reactions would be, but to our surprise most families took the mask order very well. On the first day, almost every single parent sent their child with a mask. Knowing this would be a huge adjustment for the kids, although we were very surprised at how well they all did, my coworker and I tried to make wearing a mask as fun and friendly as possible. Every morning we would have music playing, our fun and colorful masks on, and we even had theme days like in the picture above. Wearing a mask didn’t have to be such a weird thing and our goal was to make their experience as fun and normal as possible. We commented on their masks just as we would with their colorful shoes, cool hats, or sparkly lunch boxes. In a time where there was so much uncertainty, we still continued to bring out the fun no matter what, and I think in that way we made all the difference. -
2020-09-30
Incarcerated Children Are Getting Covid Too
Months ago the media did report on the outbreak of Covid cases in the nations jails and prisons. Though Covid continues to spread in correctional facilities it seems to have largely fallen off the media's radar and I haven't seen any coverage of the children in correctional facilities who are also sick with Covid. It saddens me to even write this because the phrase "incarcerated children" should not have meaning. -
2020-08-10
The New Normal
I uploaded pictures as to how the COVI19 has impacted my everyday life. The first picture shows me working out of my room because we are all working from home now and this is the quietest place in my home. I basically do everything from my room now, sleep, work and eat, it really doesn’t feel like my sanctuary anymore. The second picture is with me and my children around the kitchen table. I feel like I am losing my sanity because I now play many different roles such as: teacher, employee, student and mother. It is hard for me to hold everything together nowadays but there is no other option. This is the new normal and we are trying to get better acquainted to it. I included a picture of my children waving to their great grandmother from our truck. In the beginning of COVID19 my children were not able to see their great grandmother because no one knew who may have the virus. We had to quarantine ourselves for about a month before my children were able to see their great grandmother. Me and my children are more appreciative of my grandmother now. We really did not pay attention to how much she meant to us until we weren't able to see her whenever we wanted to. The COVID19 pandemic has taught me to appreciate the things that I hold close to me like my family, friends, health and my job. I am very fortunate that no one near me has been infected with the virus and we are all healthy. I am very fortunate that I am able to work from home, still have my job and a roof over my head. My family is getting used to the new normal and everyday it does get easier. I just hope I still have my hair and my sanity by the end of this pandemic. -
2020-07-11
"Well that settles it! I'm never grocery shopping on a Saturday!"
This past Saturday, I went to the craft store at the local strip mall with my mom. I needed yarn to knit some lace onto a project I have going and she, upon hearing this, called a single 93 year old lady we do the shopping for during the pandemic and asked if she would like any yarn since she knits too, and she did. It was 1 pm when we were there and the line to get into the local Loblaws grocery store was the longest I have ever seen it. I counted at least 14 families in line, which would mean it would likely take them as much 30 mins to an hour to get into the store. The other notable fact about the line is that it contained multiple children. Up until recently the policy was that only one individual per household was allowed in the store at a time and parents were not allowed to bring in children. As this policy has react parents and guardians, according to my mom who does our groceries, have started bringing their small children, sometimes in groups of 4 or 5. There are two sides to this of course, because firstly, many do not have the childcare to do others but the children often do not understand or observe social distancing in the stores. As we drove around to leave and saw the line my mom exclaimed "Well that settles it! If ever I was tempted I am not doing groceries on a Saturday! No matter how desperate we are! It is never that busy on weekdays!" -
2020-06-26
Judge Orders ICE To Free Detained Immigrant Children Because Of COVID-19
Excerpt from article: Citing the unrelenting spread of the coronavirus, a federal judge has ordered that all children currently held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for more than 20 days must be released by July 17. -
2020-05-29
Dr. Nancy Rappaport discusses strategies for parenting during the pandemic
This is the second episode of the Boston Children's Museum's podcast, Big & Little, podcast for adults about kids and families. In this episode, BCM CEO "Carole [Chernow] chats with psychologist Dr. Nancy Rappaport about the challenges the pandemic presents for parents and children. Dr. Rappaport, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard University Medical School, sheds light on some of the positive effects families can take away from this historic time." -
2020-04-07
Local Businesses Donate Gloves to Children's Hospital, New Orleans, LA
Children's Hospital New Orleans thanks Take 5 Oil Change and Driven Brands Charitable Foundation for donating 19 cases of gloves. -
2020-05-22
What about the children?
One thing that is overlooked during times like this are the children who come from broken, bad, non-functioning homes. As a school librarian, I celebrated the month+ off but dreaded the prospect of hunger and abuse the majority of my students at a Title 1, poverty stricken school would face. Our parish is currently scrambling to make sure there is food and learning access for our students, but I am afraid that my students, PreK-2nd grade, will slip through the cracks. And who knows where they will end up. -
2020-04-04
New Orleans Children's Hospital Thanking Other Hospitals, New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Children's Hospital shares a video on social media thanking other area hospitals for their support and community during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2020-03-28
OpEd from an ASD Mom
As the general population contemplates their loss of physical freedom and financial uncertainty there is an entire population of people being overlooked- the disabled. As a mother of a teenage son on the autism spectrum I am struggling to help him navigate a new world that I myself can barely comprehend. The basic routine and structure that all ASD children need to thrive has all but disappeared. In its place is only chaos and uncertainty, with parents desperately trying to hold things together. On a normal day my son attends a non-public special needs school with primarily ASD students. That school is now closed for an undetermined amount of time. That school does not just provide a special educator but desperately needed occupational therapy, speech-language therapy and behavioral support. My son also receives various outpatient services, many of which he has attended with the same physicians for most of his life. But, for the public safety, those have now closed- so they have been taken from him as well. As we try to maneuver to telehealth to supplement some of those supports the overwhelming truth of it all is clear- I will now be his teacher, OT, SLP and behavioral therapist. I am a fierce mother, but I am but one woman. How will I balance the need to work with his need for structure and medical care? How can I be at all places at once, doing jobs I am unqualified for? And while I am trying to juggle all professions at once, when will I ever just be mom again? My son is afraid. He is uncertain. But the reality is that there is no way for me to truly make him understand. My only solace is the strong community of ASD parents that have rallied to try to bring some sense of normalcy back to daily life. Our children miss their friends. Friendships are not easy to come by for this community, particularly among neuro-typical peers. So, the friendships formed among this group, within this non-public school, are crucial to their mental/emotional well-being. We all know it and we are all worried. Our children are prone to depression and self-harm. How can we keep them from isolating and regressing in a situation where isolation is required? One parent offers daily Zoom meetings. Every day at 3:00pm. If we can get all of the children to join we can only hope that it will fill the void, and help them feel like they are not alone. But we are all we have. The truth is we are all alone. The services we rely on are gone. The teachers are gone. Our routines are in shambles and the world is crashing down around us. We all understand the seriousness. We all understand the why. But as the world now turns to meet the needs of the pandemic the needs of our disabled children lay in the balance unseen and unheard. -
2022-06-22
Face mask sign at Feed My Starving Children in Arizona
This was a sign I saw on June 22, 2022 while volunteering at Feed My Starving Children. Upon entering, I was worried that I would need a mask in order to participate. It turns out, masks were not mandatory. Some people that did come at the session I did were wearing masks, but a good majority of people were not. One of the coordinators said that now they are able to host up to 125 people at a time for a session. At the very beginning when things were just opening up again, that number was at 10. The coordinator said that if things go to plan, FMSC should be able to host 145 people at a time, increasing the amount of pallets that can be shipped across the world to help children in need -
2021-07-12
Working during the Covid-19 Pandemic
I took a summer job in this pandemic working at a summer camp with young children. At first, I was skeptical because of the times we’re living in, and because kids just have poor habits that can cause the COVID-19 virus or any bacteria to spread. But then I just did it because it beats staying at home all day. There were many safety precautions and guidelines that took place to keep everyone safe and healthy. Any sick kids or staff were sent home and couldn’t come back until they were better. In addition, we had to check our temperatures every day, the staff had to fill out daily health surveys before arrival, we always had to have our masks on, disinfect each classroom after we use it, and wash our hands frequently. We went by a schedule, so there wouldn't be any confusion or unnecessary crowds. In terms of safety, the summer camp did a good job keeping everyone protected from the COVID-19 virus or any other sickness. Overall, the experience was different than the regular summer camp because we couldn’t do as much. But we made the best of it for both the staff and children. -
2021-08-11
First day of school
While many on my social media feed are in arms about tighter vaccine regulations, some realize that the pandemic is not over. As the new school year starts there are many mothers who share in my fear. Covid is still alive and well, new strains continue to form breeding in the bodies of the unvaccinated. The worse part is that this time the elderly seem much safer than our children. Our children are being sent back to school, life has returned to "normal" as the number of hospitalized children continues to rise. I share my fears with this friend who popped up on my feed this morning. Will our kids be safe? Will my daughter get infected? Will there be another lockdown? I too feel like it's become too much to ask for my kids to simply be happy and healthy because both now depend on the actions (or misactions) of others. -
2020-05-04
Banner Children's offers coloring activity for kids' water safety
A press release from Banner Health announcing that with more children at home and outdoor temperatures rising, Banner Children’s is encouraging families to remember the ABCs of water safety by creating a fun coloring activity for kids and providing information about drowning prevention. -
2021-07-29
Delta Surge
"CNN Arkansas Children's Hospital reports a record number of children are hospitalized with Covid-19 as the illness continues to prey upon the state's unvaccinated population. Dr. Rick Barr said parents have been shocked because the messaging has been that kids don't really get sick with Covid-19 - but now child hospitalizations have become more common." -
2021-04-10
Child Care Concerns Persist Despite Returning to In-Person Instruction in Californian Schools
Californian schools are opening back up, but there continue to be concerns over employees and their families. Although there have been some employees working at schools the past year (i.e. custodians), those working remotely (i.e. teachers) continue to face challenges in child care. Due to this, "Los Angeles Unified School District earlier this week announced it would provide a day care stipend of $500 a month for each child under age 5 to all full-time employees, including teachers." The Service Employees International Union (SEIU 1021) did clarify within the article by Sacramento Bee that some demands could not be met. Among the demands was a one-time stipend amount of $1,500 for employees with children aged 3 - 14. This is an ongoing issue with its latest update on April 10, 2021 being: a weekly stipend of $125 for employees with children aged under 14. This represents one of the issues employees of educational institutions are facing. They’re hesitant to return to in-person instruction. Although there’s a fair amount of news coverage of children returning to school, the ones hesitant (especially those responsible for the school to run smoothly) should also be acknowledged. -
2021-02-03
How does the pandemic affect children?
This link discusses if experts are really worried about if the development of toddlers is important or are there bigger issues. A fact stated in this text says " that 60% of teenagers say they’re lonely to deeply troubling federal data that revealed a 24% jump in mental health-related emergency room visits among 5- to 11-year-olds." This is a very concerning matter as children as young as 5-11 should be living a healthy life mentally and physically as those are the prime time of their growth and development. It goes on to talk about how these prime timed years of a child's life affect how he is as an adult. Certain aspects that small roles in a child's life may unknowingly affect it as it grows. -
2020-09-07
Jewish Melbourne: Jewish Care blog post- Putting Children First
Blog post for Jewish Care by Marilyn Kraner, Manager - Individual & Family Services, discussing child protection during the pandemic -
2020-04
Summer Reading Time
A friend whose child recently beat cancer started the Teddy Bear Foundation this last summer. He reads to children in both English and Spanish. Since he is no longer able to do so in person, he started a YouTube channel in order to read stories to children suffering from cancer. -
2020-06-15
Censored Children
This photo and article are about the Black Lives Matter movement; specifically which places in the world are experiencing high levels of protests. The event is occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the importance of social justice during a pandemic. I censored the face of the children as an assignment regarding privacy and ethics. -
2020-10-14
The kids aren't all right: COVID-19-fueled stress eating, inequities, lack of fitness expected to boost obesity, experts say
Social distance and virtual learning have taken a toll on children with many turning to stress eating for comfort. Additionally, children from lower-income households are at high risk for obesity due to usually having to rely on cheaper, lower quality food. These factors, coupled with lack of exercise, had led to a small uptick in childhood obesity cases, with more expected to come, during COVID-19. -
2020-09-24
Interview by Juilee Decker and Dr. Fayth Vaughn-Shavuo of the PEACE Program
P.E.A.C.E. is an acronym for Partnerships in Education to Avoid Criminal Justice System Entry. The P.E.A.C.E. Afterschool Program, Inc., operates a year-round program consisting of an after school program where children are provided with free homework assistance, social/character development, academic enrichment and community service projects. Ongoing workshops engage cognitive skills that enable the students to say no to gangs. The program is spearheaded by Dr. Fayth Vaughn-Shavuo who sat down with us, and invited 5—which grew to 8!---children to tell their stories. Of particular interest is the words that the children used to talk about COVID. Warren felt it has been boring; Kaymauri was sad that she had to social distance while Fatamata was sad in the beginning of COVID, but is now kind of happy; Jahcai didn’t like that in school there is no more sharing of items/materials; Daniel mentioned being worried and also spending time watching YouTube and eating marshmallows. Jayvien mentioned having to survive and to be careful but not being able to feel anything. Ivrhim felt scared at the beginning of COVID but feels safe now, while Joshua feels annoyed and angry about COVID. Some bright spots: Kaymauri learned how to beat box! In the final interview, Dr. V mentioned the ways in which differences and inequities have been exacerbated by COVID, particularly the dependency upon internet and need to have access for children and everyone in a household. This is particularly a challenge in government housing and situations where there is only 1 device with a parent. Anyone interested in learning more about PEACE, can visit their website: https://www.peaceafterschoolprogram.org/ -
2020-10-16
Pre-Pandemic, what did we know? Teachers knew nothing.
March 12th, 2020 seemed to be a perfect spring day in Southeast Georgia, it was a beautiful morning. I am a teachers assistant in a self-contained classroom in Liberty Co., GA. We had a long weekend ahead of us, March 12th was a Thursday and we had Friday off, 5 day weekend, and all of the kids knew it! So as any teacher would do we had a relaxed day. We taught normal morning lessons, talked to the kids about why they will not see us on Friday, Monday, Tuesday, or St. Patricks day that was coming up. So, we painted pictures of rainbows - nothing out of the ordinary, at least not in our little self-contained bubble. The teachers for some time had been hearing about this virus, and that it was far worse than the severe flu we saw in 2018, or anything else we have seen from overseas. This illness was something that we all were closely monitoring in the news because schools are the perfect breeding grounds for germs of any illnesses; however, we knew one thing - that there were some measures being put in place for travel. Then we get an all-call on the intercom in our classroom, "Hey 201, we just want to inform yall the main water line is broken up the road. We suggest you call your parents to get ready to receive their children, its a half-day." STUNNED we all took a moment, took a breath. Our 7 kids had no idea what was happening so we all took to our phones and called the parents of the most vulnerable first, then the ones we knew may take some time to get a hold of. Next we informed our parents of the children who ride buses that they will be on their way home within the next hour as the school had no water. We rallied up our kids, went through our daily clean up (4 hours earlier than usual) and gave them all tight hugs. Some of them didn't want to leave, some really didn't understand why they were going home so early, and some just wanted to get out of the crowd. In the end, I hugged every last one of my kids I took up to the front office because I had a sick feeling about this weekend. I told them to be good and listen to their adults and I waved goodbye. For most, that was the last time I saw that set of kids again because last year's class was older. Those children went onto middle school. Friday, March 13th, 2020 came and rumors started that we may not be going back to school on Wednesday because of some virus called Coronavirus. What was this? Why? No one understood. My teacher friends were all communicating online what was happening, a lot of uncertainty. The weekend came and went, nothing. Monday, the 16th of March, we got the news we weren't to enter ANY school building, this virus is highly contagious. I'd seen the news and by then China, Japan, Korea, and Italy were on total lockdown, Spain was following suit; along with the rest of the world, the US was the only nation in the world not really doing anything. However, in Liberty co. we were on lockdown, schools shutdown. At some point we were told only lead teachers and 2 assistants per grade level may go into the school to help get the children's personal belongings, this did not happen. Everything was shutdown, it was too dangerous. Personally, I didn't hear from the majority of my students after March 12th. Many factors are at play here: little to no technology in low-income homes, parents decided that since school was out they weren't obligated to stay in the area so they went to visit family in different Counties/States (so no communication was made) or parents didn't pick up the phones when we would call, those that we did see online wasn't for long because our teaching method is very hands on for Special Education our parents had no idea how to help at home and some gave in a put YouTube videos on all day. This wasnt easy for ANYONE I know. Pandemics, changes in general, and a sudden life change is ALWAYS hard. School as we know it will never be the same. As of today, this new school year we are doing hybrid teaching, which is giving parents the option to send their child to school face-to-face learning (with a mask on at all times) or they can have virtual learning. Our county provided everyone child and staff with ipads, so there's really no excuse at this point. I'm optimistic for the future, I feel a change in teaching. It's hard to change a system that is so engrained in our systems but we can figure it out. -
2020-09-03
The Mental Load Of Motherhood Has Never Been Heavier
I know I’m not the only mom hurting right now. Many moms across the world in this period of uncertainty are hurting. We’re hammered with issues. Not being able to leave our homes the way we want to. Not being able to see our friends. The fear of sending our kids to school. Deciding if we should take a vacation to bring some normalcy back into our children’s lives. To improve our mental health. Financial stress. Stress about when this pandemic will end. Taking care of our children 24/7 without a break for the last five months. Caring for kids and working at the same time. Supervising our kids’ virtual lessons. Increasing anxiety and depression. The list goes on. This pandemic has brought so many moms to their knees. I see you hurting, exhausted, anxious moms. I see you running on empty. I see the toll that it has taken on our children and on our families. I want to offer some advice that I know I would appreciate getting. Next time you see a mother and want to offer support in a way that won’t kick her while she’s already down, rather than tell her to find a silver lining in this chaos that we are living in, simply respond with “I am here for you. We will get through this together. I know it’s hard.” -
2020-08-08
COVID-19's impact on School and our response
I found this picture showed how one aspect of our life has adapted to this crisis. What is more interesting is what this picture may say for our future. My daughter's daycare requires all children 2 years of age or older to wear masks. They understand not all children will wear the mask at all times or possibly at all. The daycare's hope is to introduce the children to masks in a fun way to ease the transition of wearing a mask. It is this change in mind set of our children I find most interesting. It is this unknowable, not knowing how long our life may be impacted that has made us do this change. This adaptability we display I find most hopeful to these unknown times. -
2020-07-08
School openings and working parents
This story highlights the struggles of working parents during the Pandemic.Children are suffering and parents have to choose between their jobs and their children's education. Many do not have a choice due to their finances or the measures taken by their state regarding their children.By opening back up the economy the working class and poor are suffering.The federal government is less than useless in regards to helping the majority of the population and passing the buck to the state and local governments who choose the safety measures for their local population.It's a disgrace the way things are being handled. -
2020-06-26
Exploring...Finally
Our family has been following strict a shelter-in-place since March 13. We have only left the house for contactless grocery pick up and have visited the gas station once. Other than that, we have been isolated. Today, we decided that it would do us all some good to get some fresh air. We left for a favorite nearby hike as soon as we woke up to beat the crowds. We encountered a total of 10 people but were successfully able to keep our distance of 6-10 feet. All but 2 people were masked on the trail. It baffles me as to why people still refuse to wear masks. Especially in this situation in which they could easily remove the mask once they passed other people. Overall, the hike was wonderfully and did us all a lot of good. I was really impressed by my children who had no problems masking independently throughout the hike. -
2020-06-10
The Museum Will Suspend all Planned Programming and Re-Opening Until Risk to Public Has Declined
Boston Children's Museum's announcement about closing due to COVID-19. -
2020-06-08
Sign Outside Boston Public Library Asks Parents to Read to their Children
This is a photograph of a sign in the window of the Boston Public Library. The sign asks parents to read to their children because the library will be closed due to Covid-19. This sign illustrates both how vital the BPL is to may children in Boston as well as how many parents were required to take over the role of providing reading material following closures of schools and libraries. -
2020-05-08
‘It’s Teaching Time’: Children of Survivors of Past Pandemics Say There Are Things To Be Learned
“The resiliency has been passed down to further generations, so we are able to survive these times of struggle.” -
2020-05-03
Mother Health Care Professionals and their children
This image displays a baby, reaching out and touching the face shield of what seems to be her mother all gowned up and dressed in PPE. The woman in the picture who seems to be a health care worker who is also a mother is crying as she is torn away from beating able to hug and kiss her child because of the possibility of being infected after working in the hospital with coronavirus patients. This picture is especially special because it touches upon the hardships that health care workers are facing after working with patients all-day and not being able to have that relief of coming home and being comforted by their family members. This post was also made right before mother's day. The caption to this picture was in Portuguese and said "Mães. Hoje é o vosso dia. Esta ilustração vem ao encontro das mensagens que fui recebendo de profissionais de saúde que anseiam voltar a abraçar os filhos. Continuem com a mesma força de sempre. A cuidar dos filhos, dos pais e dos avós de alguém. O coração dos vossos filhos está carregado de orgulho. 🖤 a todas as mães um grande beijinho, um especial à minha. ✨ ©️2020, Sofia Pádua." When translated to English it said "Mothers. Today is your day. This illustration is in line with the messages I have received from health professionals who want to hug their children again. Continue with the same strength as always. Taking care of someone's children, parents, and grandparents. Your children's hearts are filled with pride. A big kiss to all mothers, a special one to mine. ✨ © ️2020, Sofia Pádua." -
2020-04-27
The affects of Covid-19 on children: Homeschooling and special needs services
A young boy works on a speech therapy assignment from home. Families are struggling to navigate how to continue their children’s special needs services in a time when social distancing is mandatory and all non essential services are closed down. #REL101 -
04/14/2020
Kids' Coronavirus Driveway Art
With the stay-at-home order and school closures in effect, we see more children and youth playing outside. A popular activity in our neighborhood in South Tempe is to make chalk drawings on driveways. At this house, the kids chalked out their message to stay home and stay safe (along with an Easter egg). -
2020-04-02
West Jeff Med Center Creates Space for Staff's Children, West Jefferson, LA
West Jefferson Medical foundation made an emergency relief fund for the healthcare staff's children to have a place to safely be while their parents are focused on saving lives. -
2022-06-17
Shots for the Youth
This article details the FDA's approval for vaccinations of children and infants. With encouragement from the Biden Administration, the youth are the final group with full approval for vaccinations against COVID-19. While this is a good thing for many who take the pandemic seriously, many Arkansans and southerners in general will likely be resistant to this new approval. The south has largely been skeptical of the vaccine and of COVID, and indeed the vaccinating of children with be a harsh topic across the south. It will be interesting to see the backlash and discussion from this decision, as well as analyzing the many questions that will doubtlessly be raised about the powers of the parents. -
2022-06-23
Most pharmacies in the US can't give your infant or toddler a COVID shot. Here's why
This is a news story from USA Today by Adrianna Rodriguez. Most US pharmacies don't allow their technicians to administer the vaccine to children under five. The age in which the vaccines can be ministered to younger kids varies, with most putting a minimum of five or above. A lot of the reason administering vaccines has been restricted, according to the article, is because not enough pharmacists are trained to give shots to children that young. The overall target is smaller, and the needle even shorter, in addition to needing to calm and anxious child. This makes people hesitant to give young kids the COVID vaccine. It is recommended that if you cannot find a pharmacy that will give the shot to very young kids that you ask your pediatrician for a one-on-one appointment for the vaccine. -
2022-06-22
Hand sanitizer and hair net station at Feed My Starving Children
This was one thing I saw at Feed My Starving Children while volunteering there. By rules on food handling from the FDA, everyone is supposed to wear hair nets while working with the food. However, the hand sanitizer was new to me. The check-in wasn't through a computer like it was before, when I volunteered years prior to COVID. People had to go up and say the group they were with, and the check-in was next to the hand sanitizer and hair net station. Due to the facility handling food, hand washing stations were also in the building, but many of these precautions aren't COVID related so much as abiding by FDA guidelines. -
2022-06-17
The FDA authorizes COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers
This is a news story from NPR by The Associated Press. The United States has authorized the use of vaccines for infants and preschoolers. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is debating how the vaccines are to be administered. The article says that studies support giving these age groups the vaccines, as they are said to be effective and have minor side-effects. -
2022-04-01
NYC judge nixes mask mandates for toddlers, Eric Adams plans to appeal
This is a story by Bernadette Hogan, Cayla Bamberger, Nolan Hicks and Natalie O'Neill for the New York Post. This story is about masking for young kids and the struggle within the local government on what is best to do. A Staten Island judge ruled against masks for toddlers in New York City. Parents in support of this claim that this is a good thing because masks could make it harder for kids to socialize and read emotions. Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, plans to appeal this to reinstate masks, where he believes that if you don't know the vaccination status of everyone in a room that you should wear a mask. -
2020-04-13
HIST30060 - Easter Hunt: Bears Hiding in Windows
These two photographs were taken in April 2020 during Easter. My neighbourhood decided to come together and do something special for the kids - many families participated and placed teddy bears on their windows facing the footpath. This created a 'Bear Hunt' trail for children and their families to participate in. I decided to take a walk around my neighbourhood to experience this for myself and it has become one of my most memorable moments during the COVID-19 lockdown. Many children and their families were walking around socially distanced, and strangers I had never seen before would wave at me across the streets and exchange greetings. The sense of community was really strong and it felt like everyone was together, in solidarity, even amidst the toughest of times. -
2021-10-05
Child's Letter to Doug Ducey
Twitter user @amybchan tweeted a photo of a letter that a 7-year-old student wrote to Governor Doug Ducey. She tells him that she and her sister both got COVID and asks him to make masks at school mandatory. Governor Ducey has not only refused to mandate masks at K-12 schools in Arizona but he has punished public school districts in the state that have chosen to require masks by withholding federal funding meant for COVID mitigation strategies. Parents, students, and educators have been outspoken about this policy and the federal government has weighed in over the mishandling of these COVID relief funds. My children are in a district that requires masks and have put in a grant application for those specific funds but have been told that it is "pending review" and has not released the money to the district. It is hurting districts who are actually trying to keep students and families safe and rewarding schools for not following proven mitigation strategies. At a time when children under 12 cannot get the vaccine this is especially troubling to many Arizona families. -
2020-03-24
How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
A blog post from Banner Health Blog about talking to children about Coronavirus and the pandemic. -
2020-05-15
Banner Children’s invites kids to join ‘Clean Hands Club’
Banner Children’s is encouraging kids to join the "Clean Hands Club" by taking part in a fun coloring challenge while learning about the importance of proper handwashing, especially during a pandemic. -
2020-12-31
The Summer Your Librarians Became Youtubers...
I am a children's librarian in rural Louisiana. We are approximately two hours away from all major forms of entertainment, so the library acts as not only a community hub but a place for children to learn and participate in extracurricular activities year-round... until Covid. Though our community hardly noticed the virus itself, the effects of being locked down soon took hold, and we were left with a community of children, families, and elderly people more isolated than they usually were. The depression set in. And my director had the fabulous notion to take what we did to the airwaves... Or rather the internet. Our seriously underutilized Facebook Page became the hub of activity, and overnight we went from librarians to Youtubers leading digital craft and art classes, Zoom creative writing workshops, and nightly bedtime stories. What initially began as a means to cheer up the children soon developed into full-fledged outreach. Local politicians, law-enforcement, and other community leaders read stories for us on our page as a means to connect with the people in our community. We did special digital story hours with schools once they opened back up in the fall, and also read stories to patients in the nursing home. Continuing with this train of thought, we partnered with our local American Legion Hall, which is located on a main thoroughfare and has large windows clearly visible from the road, to set up our annual "Christmas Around the World" exhibit (which features Christmas traditions from many different countries as well as Kwanzaa and Hanukah traditions) since there was no way to feature the display in our small meeting room safely. Every program was modified, digitized, and brought to the people of our community in the best possible way they could be... which turned the 'year of the plague' into a year of learning, cooperation, and ingenuity for us. -
2020-09-30
No Room for Activities
I am not overly social. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic’s stay-at-home orders were not a big deal to me. However, the mandate meant no after-school activities for my kids who had a very hard time with it. My ten-year-old son took it the hardest as it meant no soccer, no chess, and no playdates which also meant no touching, no tag, and absolutely no wrestling. After classes, I would pick them up and chauffeur the kids around town to all their activities. If we had time we would sometimes stop by the mall and grab a bite to eat. If we had an hour to kill, we would run into the arcade for a quick game or two of Mario Kart. But all that stopped once COVID struck. There was no room for the kids’ activities—no sports, no music lessons, no mall eateries, no more Sbarro on the run, no arcade—so in essence, no more fun. Due to COVID constraints, my boy developed a small case of depression from not being able to play with his friends and soccer buddies. Seeing my son miserable affected me, especially after reading some children were committing suicide due to these restrictions. I forgot just how much bonding with friends and socializing meant when you are ten and surrounded by thirty other kids for five days a week. While the pandemic gave parents like me a respite from all their children’s after-school extracurriculars, it was not worth seeing my son sad like that, and socializing was not the only aspect affected. My kids really missed getting their hands-on activities with other kids at the playground and soccer field. Kids simply love playing anywhere and touching everything, so not being able to do so hampers their growth through play and touch. Soccer was an outlet for all my son’s pent-up energy and once it and the other sessions were taken away, he felt trapped at home. We would play in the backyard, but it was not the same for him. Although he may complain about school now, he still needs his friends. Luckily, the pandemic is over, and soccer and their clubs are all back on. My son is back to his normal rambunctious self again. My children are back to being full-time kids again! -
2021-04-18
Child care services in Illinois are getting prioritized
Northern Illinois University and an Early Childhood Transformation Team developed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will work together to make getting vaccinations more obtainable. The primary goal for this movement is to make the process simpler. Most of the article refers to those in the child care industry, though. Pritzker intends to make it more accessible. Child care services have been struggling throughout the pandemic, and Pritzker has been trying to turn things around. Federal aid of $1.6 billion was allocated "to expand access to high-quality early childhood education and childcare for children and families across the state." Every demographic is to be included — children of color, children with disabilities, among others. -
2021-04-10
Gargle Test Provided to Vancouver Schools, Easy & Accessible Testing at Home
In order to relieve some stress for COVID-19 testing, the BC Children's hospital in Vancouver, Canada is supplying 1,200 testing kits to 1,000 schools. It's supposed to be replenished as needed. However, the main purpose is to make testing more accessible (without medical facility visitations). Those who show symptoms, or simply get a runny nose, may be sent home. -
2021-01-11
How does the pandemic affect children?
This link provided discusses the lack of social development that is being portrayed in toddlers as most of them have fewer interactions with people other than their intermediate family and friends. Much of the time when they do see others, they are in masks which makes it difficult for them to understand emotion and detect feelings. The mother in the article discusses that she does not know if it's her introverted genes that have been passed on to the child or if it's just the lack of social development the toddler has. -
2021-02-15
One of my COVID-19 Case Investigations Experiences
I work as a COVID-19 medical investigator for the Arizona county in which I live. I recently called on a monolingual Spanish speaker who turned out to be a retirement-age mother of adult children and infant grandchildren. The first time we spoke, she very politely agreed to complete our medical interview by phone, and I began working through the initial demographics section. As she answered my questions, she began asking questions of her own regarding her potential experience and that of her family, all of whom were ill by that time or presumed to be positive due to extended close contact. The pace and tone of her speech evolved as her volume increased, and her intense emotional distress required no common language to comprehend. The primary source of her concern was her adult daughter who lived at another location with her two children. Our case feared her daughter had to have immediate help to even dial a phone, much less to care for herself and her children. The case wanted to break isolation at her home to travel to her daughter' home to aid her child and grandchildren, but, with the interpreter's help, we worked through her fears, established an action plan that allowed the case and her husband to stay home, and connected her daughter with medcal professionals to evaluate her circumstances and need for urgent intervention. The case and I agreed those needs superseded the interview as she was both aware and isolated, and we agreed to speak the following day. On callback, her emotions had completely turned around in that day, her daughter had been evaluated over the phone, acquired the information and guidance she needed, and the case believed her child and grandchildren were now safe and well. Throughout the roughly 90-minute translated interview, she repeatedly expressed her gratitude for our having called and helped her family and information and guidance. Despite the number of times our patients/cases have expressed anger, outrage, suspicion, or worse at our medical investigation and contact tracing efforts, this series of calls made them worthwhile. -
2021-01-19
How does the pandemic affect children?
This link provided explains how the pandemic is affecting the development of children.