It's a question worth asking during a global pandemic - are the kids alright?
New research from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute (ARI) reveals more than half of Canadian children aged 10 to 17 (54 per cent) say being isolated from their friends has been the most difficult aspect of the lockdown.
While kids may be the statistically lowest-risk population for COVID-19, they have been particularly vulnerable to the psychological impacts of the pandemic lockdown - including being kept home from school, trying to learn online and worrying over financial or health risks to their family members.
Social distancing can be more difficult for youth to process and cope with, as they are at an age where social circles are such a defining part of their identity, says Kelowna psychologist Ivan Trofimoff.
It's a sentiment well-reflected in the latest ARI data, which shows the most common word children and youth used to describe what they've been feeling recently is "bored," chosen by 71 per cent.
Surprisingly, 41 per cent say they've also felt "normal."
Older kids are twice as likely to say they've felt "angry" as those aged 10 to 15 years old, and half as likely to say they feel "good" about these unprecedented times.
The majority of students (75 per cent) say they've been keeping up with online learning, but are also very unmotivated (60 per cent) and dislike the set up (57 per cent) compared with in-class learning.
About three in 10 children (29 per cent) identified missing out on school as their primary concern, followed by the fear that parents or other family members could contract the virus and get sick.
When asked how they're spending their time in isolation, watching movies and TV/streaming media content came out on top (88 per cent) followed by playing video games (74 per cent). Many older teenagers aged 16 to 17 are also staying in touch with their friends by texting/calling (76 per cent) or connecting via social media (75 per cent).
