The Struggle is Real, but the Summer is Not.
Kids are losing (it) too.
Our kids’ grief, like ours, is evident on tear-stained cheeks. Tears that started in March continue to flow.
Kids can’t grasp the gravity of the pandemic, the deep roots of racism, or the fears of recession any more than we can. It’s impossible to comprehend really.
Like parents, kids vacillate between “This feels fine; we are going to be ok” and “This is the worst; I have literally nothing to look forward to.” Even our dogs look disheveled and tired from lack of grooming and adventure.
As our kids lose the season they depended on most for social growth, regeneration, experimentation, creativity, and freedom, kids, (and their parents), mourn a lost summer.
When experiencing loss of any kind, grief can seem insurmountable. The last thing anyone grieving wants to hear is someone else’s comparison to the loss. To kids, a lost playdate can feel huge. Imagine what 6 months of zero playdates must feel like! Imagine the loss of school followed by the loss of pools, camps, friends, grandparent visits, and freedom.
