Kids will be returning to school in a matter of weeks, and parents have some real concerns as they head back, but surprisingly, COVID itself isn’t their top worry.
A new survey by "Parents" magazine finds:
- 45% of parents say their biggest concerns when it comes to back to school are their kids social skills and friendships.
- Other top concerns include:
- Attention span or staying engaged (45%)
- Mental health (43%)
- Motivation to do well (41%)
- Physical health (38%)
- Time management (37%)
- Overall grade-level expectations (36%)
- Physical fitness and activity (35%)
- Overall, 95% of parents say their kids faced some major challenges during the 2020-2021 school year.
- 75% say they were actually satisfied with how their schools handled everything.
- 55% believe their children are in the same place academically as they would have if they had been going to school in-person compared to remote learning.
- As for the new year, 23% of parents feel anxious about their kids going back to school, with 48% saying they are extremely or very anxious.
- 92% believe their kids will need additional mental and emotional support.
- But even with that, most parents are excited to get their kids back to school and back to their normal routine.
- Things they are looking forward to the most include:
- Getting my child(ren) back into more social settings (90%)
- Returning our household to a normal daily schedule (88%)
- Being more involved with my child(ren)'s school than in past years (82%)
- Celebrating the start of the new school year (80%)
- Having more time to focus on myself (80%)
- Getting my child(ren) back into extracurricular activities (80%)
- Getting my child(ren) back into sports (79%)
- Worrying less about my child(ren) falling behind academically (74%)
- Worrying less about my child(ren) getting sick (69%)
- ONE MORE THING!When it comes to vaccinations, 64% of parents plan to have their kids vaccinated once it’s approved for children. Another 67% believe all teachers should be vaccinated before the school year.
Source:AP News
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