As we emerge from this pandemic, I’m surprised by the many emotions I’m experiencing as we move into a new phase of reconnection. I have felt relief, optimism, and excitement, blended with fear, foreboding, and a side serving of judgement. I have had moments of feeling socially awkward, exhausted, and stressed about navigating larger group settings and deciding what I am personally comfortable with. Do these feelings resonate with you?
This article has been percolating in my head for a while. The thought of writing it has been daunting because the topic is enormous and there are many angles from which to approach the many ways that this pandemic has touched all aspects of everyone’s lives - socially, emotionally, physically, and financially.
I was walking along the beach, feeling like I was on top of the world, when the sand came out from under me... and by ‘sand,’ I mean my heart broke in two and the world went silent. I had just found out that I lost my brother Ricardo, and I was on the other side of the world without the option of properly grieving him.
Young children experience complex emotions just like adults. They get frustrated, sad, worried, excited, and overwhelmed; however, they usually haven’t mastered the ability to use logic and words to manage their feelings in the same way. Instead, young children may communicate their feelings in other ways, often through more physical, challenging, and less controlled methods.
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