In mid-May I sent a two question survey out to our Kids Talk Community to help me understand the many challenges with children that parents, teachers and school administrators find themselves right now.
As of June 6, I’ve received 205 responses that reflect about 5% of Kids Talk subscribers.
Here’s what you told me:
Your top three areas where you are seeing developmental delays are as follows:
- Social Skills
- Self-regulation
- Executive thinking skills
In terms of ages where you are seeing developmental delays you answered most strongly with these two age groups:
- 3 to 6 year-olds
- 6 to 9 year-olds
Many of you also added comments and please find some of those at the end of this article.
Over the next few months I’ll be working to put together free webinars and articles to address some of these issues.
As these resources become available, I will post information here on the Kids Talk Blog, as well as send out invitations to attend the webinars to Kids Talk Newsletter subscribers.
Also, I’m planning a special Wednesday series of Kids Talk articles that will address many of these matters.
Based on your responses, my focus for these additional resources will be primarily for ages 3 to 9 years.
SURVEY COMMENTS
English being the second language not spoken on a daily basis, learned at school but not used at home.
Conversational skills as they relate to social skills, not just receptive, but responsive.
Engagement with interested and friendly adults with eye contact and simple manners using grace and courtesy. Most younger ones seem woefully ill at ease.
Lack of independence — excessive reliance on adults in the classroom.
There are delays at every age, it seems. I work with all age children in Sunday school and I’m seeing them across the board. The only thing they all seem to be excelling at is computer skills.
General anxiety that was not present pre-pandemic.
Do they have a sense of belonging with parents…cooking, measuring writing cards to family members, sitting at the dinner table coming up with a new vocabulary word at dinner…having experiences to aid in comprehension.
I have been teaching in Montessori schools for over thirty years. I have consistently noticed that parents need more guidance and help with their little ones. Positive discipline, spending time with their children playing etc, are often lacking.
Social skills and understanding personal boundaries
Regressions in toilet training of children over 3 years of age.
Toxins in our environment-especially glyphosate. The over prescribing of antibiotics leading to gut dysbiosis and leaky gut (suspected in autism). The standard American diet (SAD) leading to gut microbiome imbalance and dysregulation. Hence, all ages.
Tumbling and basic movement skills.