Social effects of lockdown on infant children

[Josefgeorjallen]

I am beginning to get concerned about the social effects, development wise, on my 8 month old in this lockdown. She hasn't seen anyone except me and my partner for the last 4 weeks and we are set to lockdown for another three.

Normally my partner would take her to visit grandparents, see other mums with little babies and go to baby group, swimming etc. But now her world has completely shrunk to our house and garden with a daily walk in the neighbourhood.

Is anyone else feeling this way? What can we do to try and ensure our babies don't fall behind socially?

I understand why you are worried, but honestly she will be fine at this age. My 19 month old is LOVING having mummy and daddy at home all the time! You can help her social skills by modelling social behaviour - eg lots of chat, eating together, playing together. It will be okay!

I can understand your worry. But I honestly think that at 8 months all she really needs is you. It won't make any difference to her in the long so try not to worry too much. Just wave at people and say hello. I have been waving and smiling at babies a lot - although I do that normally anyway.

If you talking, reading, playing, singing and otherwise entertaining her plus giving her time to play on her own without you standing over her she will be fine.

Unlike a 2-5 year old she won't understand other people exist and are separate from her.

I am very concerned about young children (such as my DGC ages 3 and 1). They do not understand why they can't go out. Occassional visits to the rooftop garden (via communal lifts, etc)
The 3 year old was attending a playgroup - now closed.
However, I am also concerned about many other people.
My adult DS lives on his own, and severely depressed through the absence of social contact with others. We keep in touch via Whatsapp, but made me very much aware that there are many others who may live on their own.
Elderly people may not be quite so sure of using Whatsapp, or other similar internet apps, Zoom, House Party, etc, and if they live on their own, may really struggle without the social interation.

Prior to about 2-3 the most important people for babies to socialise with are their family which is where they learn their social skills.
So chat, play, interact and just enjoy your baby.

At 8 months she’ll be absolutely fine! She only wants you really anyway. They don’t start becoming properly interested in playing with other children until about 2-2.5. If you want her to interact with other adults you could FaceTime family? My son is 2 and having the time of his life. His language has come on leaps and bounds with all the dedicated attention from me and DH. He doesn’t miss going out at all and he’s old enough to have a good awareness of the stuff he used to do - he’s said he doesn’t miss it! An 8 month old definitely won’t mind.

It's quite common for them to suddenly hit phases where they don't want to go near anyone else and will scream at the very idea, sometimes not even daddy, which can go on for a few weeks. And it doesn't have any long term implications.

Early Years Practioner here. They will be utterly, utterly fine, as long as you keep showing them love, talking to them, just in general maintaining a normal day to day routine, they will be fine. Try not to worry.

As long as you are still talking to your baby and interacting, it will do no harm whatsoever.

The way we socialise with babies nowadays is a relatively new thing, babies have grown up into perfectly capable adults for hundreds of years without baby groups and swimming etc.

At 8 months your baby will be fine, as will my 15-month old DS. They need a strong bond and interaction with their primary caregivers at that age, baby groups are really about fulfilling parents' need for socialisation and support. Saying hello to grandparents via videocall is worth doing though, we live abroad so it's normal for us and DS loves it - my DP chat, sing and read to him, he shows them his toys 😂.

An 8 month old will be fine, honestly, they don't socialise until about 2.

I really notice issues with my 3 year old though, her behaviour is awful she swings between missing nursery and not wanting to go back. She talks about her friends that she can't see and keeps asking to go to my parents.

The 6 year old is loving being off school and getting to play with his friends on xbox every day.

Thankyou for the reassurance everyone. This is our first child so we are a bit paranoid! We'll keep doing wjag we are doing!

She wont even remember it. Shell be fine.

I am worrying about my nearly two year old too. She took ages to settle into nursery and had only really just started interacting with other children after nearly a year. She has a bit of a speech delay and some possible hearing issues which were just in the very early stages of investigation. I work with children and I know it's just a blip and she'll catch right up but I can't help but worry a bit. Just trying to do as much as I can with her at home for now.