A new survey shows that nearly three-quarters of children felt lonelier than ever in 2020. For instance, in New York City, while many children might say they enjoyed not going to school for a year during the COVID-19 pandemic, their parents faced a greater challenge during the long lockdown period.
A new study concluded that seven in ten parents believe a full year of home quarantine would have a lasting impact on their children's growth and mental and social development. The OnePoll research survey, which included 2,000 parents with children aged two to 18, explored what parents had to say about their children after spending most of 2020 confined at home. About 69% indicated they were worried about their children during the lockdown, while 52% expressed that their biggest concern was the difficulty their children would have in engaging in face-to-face communication in the future. Commissioned by The Genius of Play program, 44% of parents in the survey reported being concerned that it would be challenging for their children to play or make friends after being separated from their peers for a long time. Moreover, 68% of parents believe their children's social skills have diminished as a result of spending most of 2020 at home, highlighting that isolation was a significant issue identified by all parents during the pandemic.
Additionally, more than seven in ten parents, or 72%, think their children felt lonelier in 2020 than ever before. In fact, 58% of parents stated that they too felt more isolated than ever, and overall, 79% of parents believed that 2020 was the hardest year ever for their families. About 65% reported that parenting tasks were more challenging last year than in any other year. To alleviate these feelings, parents are trying to encourage their children to play more, with three out of four participants stating they encouraged their children to play more to reduce their loneliness. Furthermore, 76% of parents surveyed noted that playing with their children served as a positive escape from the reality of the pandemic and the associated negative news. Anna Yudina, Senior Director of Marketing Initiatives at The Toy Association, which manages The Genius of Play program, said, "2020 was a completely different year than any other and caused a lot of family stress. Fortunately, one of the main benefits of play is its ability to reduce stress and generate positive emotions for both children and parents. Moreover, research shows that play can help children develop emotional resilience and cultivate social skills such as empathy and cooperation."
