Most Parents Want Schools To Teach Kids Social Skills
In addition to academic studies and the arts, parents would also like schools to teach their children social skills this year. Today’s parents are concerned about their children’s social development in the face of the global pandemic. Many children did remote school last year creating a gap in their childhood development and consequences we don’t yet know.
As a new school year is set to begin, millions of children will return to in-person learning for the first time in over a year. This missed year of children being around each other in school or playing sports has their parents worried about their futures.
They want schools to help fill these social gaps that their children endured. STEAM brand Osmo sponsored a study of 2,000 American parents with school-age children ranging in age from 5 years old to14 years old.
Apparently, 7 in 10 parents believe that the pandemic will have some sort of effect on their children’s social skills and they’re rightfully concerned. The results of the survey also revealed that parents did their best to keep their kids active and socializing over the last year. 77% of parents encouraged their kids to remain social while home.
As reported by Eschool News, survey results found that parents encouraged their kids to stay connected by doing the following:
- Connecting with friends through online video games-52%
- Calling and Texting Friends-49%
- Make Neighborhood Friends-45%
- Engage in Outdoor Activities-46%
- Virtual Get-Togethers-35%
- Making New Friends Online-23%
Parents do have a reason as to why they’re concerned about their kid’s social skills. A majority of them reported having already seen their children get more socially awkward over the last year.
62% are even worried that their child will not be able to pick up again socially where they left off last spring.
This survey has shown just how important parents believe socializing is in child development and in school. A whopping 85% believe that being social is a vital part of the school day and best done in person. 44% of parents even see academic achievement to be on the same level of social skills.
There are a lot of worries plaguing parents as the 2021/2022 school year is set to begin. This survey also revealed that most parents have seen the past 2020/2021 as a lost school year. Three in four parents believe their children lost a year in education and are worried if their kids will catch up.
Parents will always have a lot of worries when it comes to their kids and school and what happened last year was unprecedented. Only time will tell how the pandemic affected school children.
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