Gabby Gonzalez enjoying her birthday parade.
Hard Times, Resilient Children
The pandemic has permeated every strand of life. It has altered lives, taken lives, and made us rethink everything.
While we’ve all read numerous profiles of adults who are struggling and the obituaries of those who lost the battle with the virus, how much do we know about the impact of the pandemic on our children?
After reading “Young People of the Pandemic”, an anthology of stories, anecdotes, and poems by 10- to 21-year-old Americans, you’ll know a great deal more about how our children are handling isolation, loss, and uncertainty. You’ll also discover how resilient they are and the lengths to which they have gone to help those in need.
The youngest contributor to the book is 10-year-old Gabby Gonzalez, who lives in Rye Brook.
While she was sad to be unable to celebrate her 10th birthday as planned — at a Ninja Warrior gym with friends — she was thrilled with Plan B, a birthday car parade.
When Gabby went outside, she saw her friends’ cars lined up. “They were honking their horns as they drove past my house. The neighbors came out, too! There was cheering, clapping, birthday signs, balloons, cards, and gifts. My family was there, and my grandma took a video of the whole parade.
“I will always remember how awesome my 10th birthday was during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Gabby also contributed a poetic description of our time.
Q-U-A-R-A-N-T-I-N-E
Quiet times during the days of Covid-19
Understand social distance to stay stafe
An absolute crazy time
Remote Zoom for school learning and with friends
A time to bake and eat sweet treats
Never touching or hugging friends
There are still bright days ahead
I hope in the coming weeks and months
No going to friends’ houses or public places
Enjoy thinking of the end of the Covid-19 pandemic!
Teddy Cooper is a 13-year-old West Harrison resident who pitches lefthanded and hopes someday to play for the New York Yankees. He volunteers with a local wheelchair basketball team.
In one of his submissions, Teddy writes about the challenges of online learning, the difficulties for both children and adults to stay motivated.
After realizing he hadn’t given his all to an independent assignment, he wrote his teacher to honestly explain that he was more distracted than he’d ever been during school before.
“The response I received from my teacher was very different from what I had expected,” he related. Rather than chastise him, his teacher assured him that having learned of his experience she would redouble her efforts to be empathetic with students during this unpredictable time.
“I appreciate how my teacher reacted and I want people to know that she helped teach me a very powerful lesson.” That lesson was: always be sincere and truthful.
< The anthology was edited by Nancy S. Nelson, M.S., a clinical art therapist.>
- Robin Jovanovich
