According to a federal government survey, parents whose children received virtual instruction were more likely to report poor well-being for themselves and their children.
Parents were more likely to report that they were emotionally distressed, worried about job stability, and struggling to balance work and child care if their children learned virtually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey. United States published Thursday.
Some of the parents also reported that their children’s mental and emotional health had worsened, while their physical activity had declined.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence about the damage done to keeping children out of the classroom. Citing the benefits of face-to-face learning, the federal government and other officials have urged the reopening of schools, although some teachers and parents have safety issues.
Evidence so far suggests that transmission of Covid-19 to schools is minimal if the recommended safety precautions are followed. There have been groups of cases when there are deficiencies in security protocols.
CDC is expected to release an update on its physical distance guidance for schools tomorrow.
“Children who do not receive instruction in person and their parents may experience a higher risk of having negative mental, emotional, or physical outcomes,” the report said. “Community actions to reduce the incidence of Covid-19 and to support mitigation strategies in schools are very important to encourage the return of students to face-to-face learning.”
Schools across the country closed their classrooms a year ago to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. Many have yet to reopen, while others offer a combination of face-to-face and remote learning to reduce the number of students in their buildings and reduce the risk of transmission.
The CDC conducted the survey from October 8 to November 13. The researchers surveyed 1,290 adults with a child aged 5 to 12 enrolled in a public or private school. Nearly 31% of children attended school in person, parents said, while approximately 46% were completely remote and 23% received a combination of instructions.
Parents with children in public school reported more often that their child received virtual instruction, compared to parents with children in private school. Black, Hispanic, and other non-white parents were more likely to say that their children were learning virtually, compared to white parents.
A year after the coronavirus pandemic, many schools are only partially open for fear that they may fuel the spread of the virus. Experts explain what the real risks are of spreading Covid-19 in schools and how proper controls can change that equation. Illustration: Preston Jessee for The Wall Street Journal
The survey indicated that the pandemic has affected the well-being of parents and school-age children.
More than 46% of parents surveyed reported experiencing emotional distress and more than 38% said they lost some jobs. More than 14% of parents with children learning at a distance reported problems balancing work and child care, compared to just over 8% of parents with children taking classes in person.
Overall, parents reported that more than 12% of children had worse physical health and 22% of children had worse mental and emotional health, regardless of the mode of learning. Just over half of all parents said their children had decreased physical activity.
“This survey really shows us what pediatricians have been seeing in their offices across the country, which is that pandemic and virtual learning has put tremendous pressure on families,” said Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and medical director. for community health and the defense of the National Children’s Hospital.
“Safe, face-to-face learning should be our top priority for children right now,” Dr. Beers added.
More than half, 54%, of parents whose children remotely learned reported much or a moderate amount of emotional distress.
About a quarter of parents with children learning at a distance reported that their children’s mental and emotional health was deteriorating, compared to about 16% of parents whose children were learning in person.
63% of parents with children learning virtually also said children were exercising less, while parents with children learning in person reported that their children had reduced physical activity about 30% of the time.
Parents with children learning in hybrid models also reported less physical activity, time spent outside and with friends, and worse mental and emotional health among their children more often than parents with children learning fully in person.
These parents, however, were less likely to report that their children had decreased physical activity or time spent outside than parents whose children were completely estranged.
Write to Brianna Abbott to [email protected]
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