Connectedness During COVID-19
Social connectedness has been and continues to be a key factor in promoting positive mental health and well-being. Feeling socially connected means we feel loved, valued, understood, and cared for by others. Building quality connections with our children is especially important for promoting positive development. This includes taking an interest in our children and communicating that they are valued and loved through various verbal and nonverbal efforts such as eye contact, touch, smiles, emotional support, etc. Feeling safe and secure, in both a physical and emotional sense, within a relationship also builds a sense of connection. This safety and security encompasses a child’s perception that they will not encounter a challenge that is too big for adults to handle, because the adults that children are connected to are stronger, bigger, and wiser.
Specifically in school settings, it has been found that when students feel connected, they are more likely to engage in positive behaviour. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health found that family connectedness (along with school and individual connectedness) served as a protective factor against negative behaviour and other mental health challenges (for example, emotional health). In this study, it is discussed that physical presence is not enough to develop a connection with a child. In other words, being physically present may provide opportunities for interaction, however, the interaction itself may not provide opportunity for building connection. Quality interactions serve to build connection and as a result, positive mental health. For example, spending technology free time with our children leads them to feel as though they are worthy of uninterrupted time with us and allows for higher quality interactions.
Within the context of COVID-19, opportunities for social connection have been limited due to restrictions on social gatherings, sports, extra-curricular activities, schools, day cares, etc. As schools/daycares/classrooms were shut down, the number of people that children were exposed to was naturally reduced, limiting opportunities for connection with others. Additionally, as a result of the transition to at home learning, screen time has increased, further limiting opportunity for face-to-face connection. Children are missing quality time and interaction with others, such as teammates, coaches, friends, as well as extended family members. Furthermore, facemasks hinder the quality of the limited interactions children have with others since non-verbal cues such as facial expressions are no longer visually apparent. For example, when speaking to another masked individual, interpreting emotions such as scared, surprised and excited are especially challenging for children. Without these non-verbal cues, young children are often forced to make assumptions on how adults are approaching them, rather than simply connecting.
Although it has been well demonstrated that social connectedness is important for mental health and well being, COVID-19 restrictions have negatively impacted feelings of connectedness among children. While we cannot control the restrictions placed upon us, we can focus on enriching the connection with our children, within the current limitations. We can promote interactions in a variety of ways, such as scheduling daily family time, limiting screen time, and engaging in one-on-one activities with our children. This can include going for walks, playing at a park, crafting, eating together, etc. The quality of these interactions can be enhanced through making eye contact, reassuring them, smiling, laughing, giving touch, emotionally supporting, and relating to them. By promoting quality interactions with our children they will continue to feel valued, loved, and cared for and the connection will continue to grow.
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