70% Of Kids Report Feeling Overwhelmed, Worried, Or Sad Due To Pandemic

New study says ‘70% of kids report having more negative feelings including being overwhelmed, sad, or worried’ since the pandemic began

Despite President Trump’s protests that the coronavirus pandemic “affects virtually nobody,” a heartbreaking new study surveyed a group of 500 children and found that the majority of kids are feeling sad, worried, or more overwhelmed since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Although COVID deniers and the “open the schools” truthers just want their kids to do activities again, the kids in this study did absolutely miss their friends, school, and their activities, but the tragic throughline in a majority of these kids’ testimonies is that they fear that their parents will get sick or that they will be unable to financially provide for their family.

ParentsTogether, a national organization of more than 2 million parents in the United States, surveyed 500 parents and their kids and the biggest takeaway is that 70% of kids they surveyed feel more sad, worried, or overwhelmed than before the pandemic began.

“ParentsTogether’s survey — one of the first to survey kids in their own words — found that six months into the coronavirus pandemic, nearly half of parents report that their kids are struggling with mental health and/or behavioral problems while 70% of kids report having more negative feelings including being overwhelmed, sad, or worried,” according to ParentsTogether.

To make matters worse, “in families making under $50,000 a year, kids were twice as likely to say they felt sad, angry, scared or lonely ‘a lot’ in the past week compared to kids living in households making more than $100,000 per year.”

The study also found that in the past week, 45% of kids felt sad some or a lot of the time and 30% of kids have felt scared some or a lot of the time.

“Children across the country have sent us a clear message six months into the pandemic — the kids are definitely not alright,” Justin Ruben, Co-Director of ParentsTogether, said in a statement. “Millions of kids are facing a food security crisis, piled on top of an educational equity crisis, piled on top of a school funding crisis, piled on top of a mental health crisis.

The survey included open-ended questions and it’s clear that kids know what the coronavirus is and how fatal it can be.

“I miss playing with my best friend before the coronavirus. The last time I was scared was a couple of days ago, I had a bad dream that my dad got sick,” 8-year-old Marcus from Texas said.

“I miss my life before the coronavirus when I was seeing teachers and kids at school. The last time I was scared, I felt scared about my mommy getting sick at work.” 7-year-old Ishaluv, from Indiana, said.

Not only that, but 30% of parents whose kids are not in school are concerned about making sure their child has enough food to eat during the day and this study shows that kids are also very aware of their parents’ financial situation during the pandemic. Lisa, age 12, in Indiana said, “Before the coronavirus, I got to go to the park and my mom could make money.”

Add this study to the rising COVID-19 cases in recently reopened schools and clearly, Mr. President, this pandemic is affecting not just people — but kids, and it’s hurting their mental health and emotional well-being. Too bad President Trump lacks the empathy to care.