Family Stressors in a Time of COVID-19
Dear Child,
Things are tough right now. The world has been thrown into chaos by the COVID-19 pandemic. The last two months have been a roller coaster of stress and uncertainy; unfortunately, there are no clear signs that things will be slowing down anytime soon.
At the time I'm writing this, you're only two and a half years old. It's probably hard for you to understand what's going on, but your life hasn't been disrupted too much. Sure, you miss going to school to see your fellow toddler classmates, but I'd like to think that you appreciate the additional time you get with your mother and I each day.
Unfortunately, for many families worldwide, things are far more dire. For starters, there's the financial side of things. Now, I don't say this lightly — but this pandemic has caused total economic devestation for so, so many people. Over 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the beginning of March 2020. The financial stressors that stem from job loss have profound effects on affected families and, subsequently, the healthy development of children.
Let's talk housing insecurity. Did you know that nearly a third of American families were unable to pay rent during the month of April 2020? That number is utterly staggering to behold — especially knowing that "housing insecurity is directly associated with neglect risk and influences abuse and neglect risk through maternal stress" (Warren & Font, 2015). It's tough enough for children that schools are shut down for the rest of the academic year; Garcia (2018) has written about how interruptions in schooling are among several potential sources of toxic stress in immigrant children. I cannot imagine the unspeakable trauma of also having to move house due to housing insecurity in the middle of the school year.
Alarmingly, there's also current data indicating an alarming surge in cases of abuse, neglect, and domestic violence worldwide. Entire nation's economies are contracting. Around the world, the periously poor and hungry are protesting in the streets, demanding that their businesses be allowed to reopen so that their livelihoods can be restored. Simply put, there's a lot going on — and the subsequent stress is cresting like a tidal wave, washing over children and their families. For children literally or figuratively cloistered inside homes experiencing financial duress, risks of non-accidental injury and neglect are peaking alongside COVID-19 infection rates (Baird, 2020).
That being said, children and families can behave with impressive resilience and develop highly adaptive stress responses amidst even dire circumstances. When you look back on the year 2020, what memories come to mind? Do you remember your mother and I fighting a lot? Do you recall feeling isolated from your classmates and neighbors? On the contary, do you look back on that season of baking, reading, gardening, and backyard adventures with a unique and nostalgic fondness? Truly, this has been unlike any other time in my life thus far. I, for one, know that our family has a lot to be thankful for.
Sincerely,
Your (Suburban) Dad
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References:
The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/23/business/coronavirus-unemployment.html
MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/no-rent-was-paid-in-april-by-nearly-a-third-of-american-renters-2020-04-08
Warren, E. J., & Font, S. A. (2015). Housing insecurity, maternal stress, and child maltreatment: An application of the family stress model. Social Service Review, 89(1), 9-39.
Garcia, A. (2018). Treating Toxic Stress in Immigrant Children. Communiqué, 46(7).
The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/04/24/business/ap-ml-lebanon-economy.html
The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/paris-suburbs-protests-villeneuve-la-garenne/2020/04/25/55f5a40c-85a1-11ea-81a3-9690c9881111_story.html
Baird, E. Non-accidental injury in children in the time of Covid-19 pandemic.
Things are tough right now. The world has been thrown into chaos by the COVID-19 pandemic. The last two months have been a roller coaster of stress and uncertainy; unfortunately, there are no clear signs that things will be slowing down anytime soon.
At the time I'm writing this, you're only two and a half years old. It's probably hard for you to understand what's going on, but your life hasn't been disrupted too much. Sure, you miss going to school to see your fellow toddler classmates, but I'd like to think that you appreciate the additional time you get with your mother and I each day.
Unfortunately, for many families worldwide, things are far more dire. For starters, there's the financial side of things. Now, I don't say this lightly — but this pandemic has caused total economic devestation for so, so many people. Over 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the beginning of March 2020. The financial stressors that stem from job loss have profound effects on affected families and, subsequently, the healthy development of children.
Let's talk housing insecurity. Did you know that nearly a third of American families were unable to pay rent during the month of April 2020? That number is utterly staggering to behold — especially knowing that "housing insecurity is directly associated with neglect risk and influences abuse and neglect risk through maternal stress" (Warren & Font, 2015). It's tough enough for children that schools are shut down for the rest of the academic year; Garcia (2018) has written about how interruptions in schooling are among several potential sources of toxic stress in immigrant children. I cannot imagine the unspeakable trauma of also having to move house due to housing insecurity in the middle of the school year.
Alarmingly, there's also current data indicating an alarming surge in cases of abuse, neglect, and domestic violence worldwide. Entire nation's economies are contracting. Around the world, the periously poor and hungry are protesting in the streets, demanding that their businesses be allowed to reopen so that their livelihoods can be restored. Simply put, there's a lot going on — and the subsequent stress is cresting like a tidal wave, washing over children and their families. For children literally or figuratively cloistered inside homes experiencing financial duress, risks of non-accidental injury and neglect are peaking alongside COVID-19 infection rates (Baird, 2020).
That being said, children and families can behave with impressive resilience and develop highly adaptive stress responses amidst even dire circumstances. When you look back on the year 2020, what memories come to mind? Do you remember your mother and I fighting a lot? Do you recall feeling isolated from your classmates and neighbors? On the contary, do you look back on that season of baking, reading, gardening, and backyard adventures with a unique and nostalgic fondness? Truly, this has been unlike any other time in my life thus far. I, for one, know that our family has a lot to be thankful for.
Sincerely,
Your (Suburban) Dad
-------------------------
References:
The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/23/business/coronavirus-unemployment.html
MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/no-rent-was-paid-in-april-by-nearly-a-third-of-american-renters-2020-04-08
Warren, E. J., & Font, S. A. (2015). Housing insecurity, maternal stress, and child maltreatment: An application of the family stress model. Social Service Review, 89(1), 9-39.
Garcia, A. (2018). Treating Toxic Stress in Immigrant Children. Communiqué, 46(7).
The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/04/24/business/ap-ml-lebanon-economy.html
The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/paris-suburbs-protests-villeneuve-la-garenne/2020/04/25/55f5a40c-85a1-11ea-81a3-9690c9881111_story.html
Baird, E. Non-accidental injury in children in the time of Covid-19 pandemic.
Max,
ReplyDeleteI love knowing that this post will be documented for posterity. Trapping this moment in amber will (someday, eventually) be like a opening up a time capsule. The challenges are so unique and the joys are so precious. I am happy to hear that you have made the absolute most of this additional time at home with your family. My heart hurts for the children who are living in homes that are not full of the love and warmth so evident in your own. However, I am also motivated to go into the world of education-based counseling even more so than before!
I'm considering continuing to keep up with this blog beyond this semester :) it's been cathartic (this post especially) to reflect on why I went into this field in the first place and to consider my privileges in even being aware of the greater scope of issues that await us when we emerge from physical distancing. Honored to be fighting alongside with you in this profession!
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