To say that every child and young person…

[KnowButNeedU2TellMeAsItIs]

That got through the pandemic, followed the rules, stayed indoors for long periods of time, endured isolation, online learning, ping pongs in and out of school, slow vaccination roll-out…

Should get a medal.

Our kids are amazing and gone through so much but not one bit of recognition.

So you think they should get a medal for potentially saving their own lives as well as others?

Of course they missed out on a lot but surely it's better that they're actually alive and so are you!

Some kids around the world go through so much worse every single sad and sorrowful day of their lives.

If you saw how the behaviour in schools has deteriorated since the pandemic started then you'd maybe reconsider. Kids will all respond differently but the volume of kids who are more entitled, less respectful and have shorter attention spans than ever before is astonishing. I would honestly leave teaching because of these changes alone, never mind the other issues that the pandemic brought up for teachers. Kids are clearly more immature and less ready for high school than they ever have been in my 20 years of experience in a classroom. I've always loved the kids element of my job, but now it's almost impossible to find any really positives about it. No medals being given out here.

Yup

They also have plenty of time to get on with their lives once it's over. Unlike elderly people who just spent the last few years of their lives unable to go out and live normally. Unlike the women who lost their last chance at having a baby before they were too old. Unlike all the frontline workers who now have PTSD from what they saw during the pandemic.

It's been 'what about the children?' the entire fucking time. The pandemic killed thousands and thousands more people than it would have if the schools had been closed longer.

I feel really bad for older teenagers, there are things they missed out that they will never be able to make up.

and some younger dc will have huge gaps in education/attainment

I think they deserve a medal simply because they got on with it, didn’t moan

Oh don't be so ridiculous!

I agree

If you're 10 then 2 years is 20% of your life, if you're 40 then it's only 5% etc.

Kids have had a large chunk of their childhood massively messed up. I've heard from teachers that kids' maturity is hugely behind.

I also know several youngsters who have dropped out of uni due to stress, one who still isn't back in school due to anxiety and another who has taken their life.

do you know what some children from third world countries go through !?

well by that logic no one in the UK can ever complain about anything 🙄

Everyone had a tough time and no one is denying that some children struggled but they won't pay for it forever.

Really? what age will state pension be in 10 yrs time? free at the point of care NHS in 10 years? higher taxes because we are facing a huge population demographic shift?

Kids lost years of their childhood and education but people lost loved ones.

Some kids lost loved ones...

Those were all things that were concerns well before covid, I don’t think you can hang those on the pandemic.

My son would probably like that if you want to buy him one 😆

Decent money put into educational catch up programs. Education systems that are at core designed to boost mental health. Solid into work programs like new deal.
That's what I'd want for them rather than a medal.

@Cornettoninja but you don't think the pandemic had exacerbated them? They will certainly be paying for it for a long time judging by the current economic state.

Young people got lots of recognition - people spoke about what they suffered all the time.

many many sections of society suffered.

so praise your own children, praise anyone you want, but no medals, no

Totally agree with you OP.

All the 'what about me' comments are a bit 🤔yes some adults had it very tough but we've probably built up our resistance to tough times and have a skillset to draw from from other (albeit probably smaller) difficulties. Going through something like this in a developmental stage of life must have been very hard. Already teachers have noticed young children not have the skills they need to start school etc, as one example.

Er, medals are for exceptional and meritorious service? If everyone gets one it means fuck all.

I’m so shocked that some folks are still so not acknowledging what this nations younger generation did for us and it makes me Saaaaaaaaaad that this forum of all fuck wit places isn’t calling for our young people to be recognised.

this country is FUCKED

Put the wine glass down...bank holiday is over now.

Recognised as what? Martyrs for the COVID cause?

They've had to stay home- very much something which has to be put up with rather than overcome. For most children, it's been a bit shit. For very few children has it been anything that could be even loosely termed traumatic.

I know a lot of people think they suffered the most because they were restricted despite being least at risk from covid.

But those people don't seem to factor in the stress and horror that comes from...being most at risk from covid.

The country is tucked because this government is fucked, royally.

Sadly OP, a medal won’t do shit. It’ll give children a boost that will probably last all of 5 minutes.

I’d feel quite insulted with a medal, for simply “being resilient” and “living through a pandemic”.

This country needs a better standard of living. A better NHS. Better mental health services. Better transport. Better education. End austerity.

This country needs practical changes. Not tacky medals for children.

Yanbu. They went through key formative stages at a time of crisis. And during that time of crisis the adults around them were also negatively impacted.

It will play out, over the years. I feel for them.

Agree that a medal won't do much.

But understanding, support and a listening ear when you can, yeah that might help.