As the pandemic spread, many of us experienced anger, stress—even depression. It was hardest for the young ones to process the situation and understand the change the world was about to go through. But Help a Child initiative is teaching them how to manage their difficult emotions.

Like so many children across the country, my kid went to school one day and was told he wouldn’t be coming back for a while. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his teacher told him and the rest of the class that they would finish out the semester at home, where they would attend classes virtually.

Virtual Journey of Hope

At first, he was thrilled, but as time passed, the novelty wore off and the isolation began to take a toll. He began to experience anxiety, stress, and anger. He was hardly alone.

Kids experiencing pandemic-related disruptions to their regular in-person school routine may be susceptible to poor mental health outcomes.

Seeing the struggle with the rigorous pace of remote learning and the large number of students participating in virtual classes, we decided to enroll him in a virtual independent study program. But while the learning pace slowed down to match his learning speed he was still missing the social interaction with teachers, classmates, and friends continued to be a challenge.