ABSTRACT
In this final chapter, it would be a serious omission to not discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding governmental response is potentially harming children’s social and emotional wellness. The pandemic response has impacted children’s schooling and social interactions, and what they can come to expect from teachers in terms of emotional support at school. The failure of public health officials to exempt children from potentially harmful restrictions has led governments and schools to make decisions that place children at unnecessary risk of social and emotional deprivation and challenges. In the chapter, then, I highlight how the quality of the available scientific evidence does not warrant the restrictive measures imposed on children in many parts of the United States and in Canada. These unfounded restrictions are relevant to the assessment of children’s social and emotional readiness and wellbeing at school by revealing the paradox of advocating for children’s wellness in a society whose actions often undermine the best interests of children.
