School closed early, and now summer camps are either closed or threatening to close. Home-schooling is one thing, but how can parents help their children and teenagers develop and maintain social skills in a social crisis?
Don't despair; there are opportunities, even in these times, to help children learn social skills at home (that don't require much from you; parental burnout is real!). Children of all ages learn social skills through play. Unstructured, imaginative play, such as making mud pies for younger kids or creating videos and writing songs for teens, builds skills that help children self-manage, self-advocate, and cope with disappointment and complex emotions.