The Brian Lehrer Show Pandemic Kindergarteners Are Now Middle Schoolers
Sep 4, 2025
Parents share their candid experiences about how their children, who began school during the pandemic, are now struggling in middle school. They discuss alarming trends in academic performance and attendance, revealing a significant shift in social behavior from sociability to introversion. The conversation highlights the challenges of rekindling social skills that took a hit during remote learning. Personal stories illuminate the struggle against technology addiction and the necessity of fostering real-life connections as kids adjust to in-person schooling.
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Pandemic Babies Show Strong Early Skills
- Babies born around the pandemic may show strong language and emotional skills despite not experiencing remote learning.
- The cohort's development merits observation as schools see how early-pandemic infancy affects later outcomes.
Gregarious Child Grew More Introverted
- Caroline describes her oldest shifting from gregarious to more introverted after extended remote learning.
- He started seventh grade and retained a preference for solitude compared with his younger siblings.
Teen Struggled Reintegrating Socially
- A parent described their teen who became hesitant to speak in person but communicates easily by text.
- The child moved through difficult social groups and now approaches college tasks with in-person reluctance.