Let’s all just admit it. There are going to be a lot of us who are socially anxious going back out into the world post-vaccination. So get it out up front, and accept that it’s going to be weird.
Be gracious to everyone who is going to be re-learning how to be social again, and support them in the struggle to do so. The worst thing we could do is create a situation where people have something to be anxious about.
No one should be thrown into online, or offline, society without meaningful education about things like consent, what constitutes illegal behavior, the signs of grooming and so on. It’s just setting them up for failure, and victimization. Why would we do that to anyone? Or do people with intellectual and development disabilities not deserve that same consideration?
There is a huge unmet need, and I hope this pilot works out, and gets expanded to places where it’s most needed. And then, I hope other innovative ideas become reality as well.
We need them all.
The reality is, even if a kid has had severe trauma in their life, there are things we can do, immediately, that can lower the chances of this trauma impacting them later in life. Things like getting them support, positive role models and experiences, and actively getting them involved in healing can make a huge difference.
As many of you know, we spent much of 2019 grieving. Then, we spent most of 2020, and the early parts of 2021 dealing with a global pandemic. Now that I have been vaccinated, I am also realizing just how much PTSD I’m dealing with. As I have read a few times in the last couple of weeks about others, I am now in a situation where I should feel pretty safe, but I don’t. I’ve spent 2 years waiting for someone else I know to die, and then doing my best to not be near anyone. I can’t just turn that off now that I have been vaccinated. I still get extremely anxious when I have to be somewhere. I still pay very, very careful attention to anyone around me when I’m in public, and just generally spend that time being on edge, constantly. It’s exhausting. It makes me want to stay home, and avoid people. My being vaccinated didn’t change that at all.
Imagine, if you will, the awkward social learning that goes on at a middle-school dance, for example. Now imagine a handful of 40 year old men were in the middle of that awkwardness, disguised as teens? You’d have some serious chats with your daughter before sending her off to the dance, wouldn’t you?
What do you think the internet is for 11-13 year-olds?
Have that talk, keep open lines of communication, understand the tools they are using, and how they are using them. If anything, please do not think they are too young to have to worry about this. Clearly, they do.
