These Windsor-Essex mental health educators say students lack sleep and ability to small talk

It was one of the sentiments many families felt as the pandemic dragged on, with one lockdown after another: kids struggling emotionally, possibly heading for a major mental health reckoning.

Now, the last time Windsor-Essex schools were closed because of COVID-19 was in January of 2022 — and it would seem students are about to embark on a school year with no threat of online learning hanging over their heads.

But does the return to normal mean the outlook of our teens and children has also stabilized, or are there long-term effects on the mental health of a generation that are still being felt?

Danielle Campo McLeod, mental health lead for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, says kids are resilient but it can take awhile on the heels of an unprecedented time. 

"We are building back and putting the supports in place to help them build back, but we're definitely seeing the effects across the board from JK all the way to [Grade] 12," said Campo McLeod.

Jodie Nolan agrees, adding one key issue she's found is a lack of focus.

"Students are having a really hard time regulating themselves with their attention and emotional regulation," said Nolan, who specializes with student well-being for the Greater Essex County District School Board. 

"And sleep is a big concern. A lot of students, every room I go in, 50 to 75 per cent of the students JK to grade 12 say they don't sleep at night. Anxiety is on the rise and the lack of focus is really challenging." 

'We've lost that ability to small talk'

When it comes to socialization, Campo McLeod says times of isolation over the past few years have dramatically affected students.

"I think one of the most alarming things that I've witnessed is that we've lost that ability to small talk. If you think about in COVID, we waited for our classrooms to load, right? And so when you walk into a classroom … we don't see that small talk happening with the kids. So that just organic connection was really lost."

Nolan points directly to the boards' youngest learners who haven't had any opportunity to socialize.

"So many of them came in even into Grade 1, unable to cooperate with their classmates and their independence wasn't there even toileting skills and things like this," she said.

According to Nolan, students were happy to be back at school last year without interruption, and can build off that normalcy and momentum this fall.

What about teachers? How are they feeling?

As for teachers Nolan's spoken to, they're concerned about focusing on emotional regulation based on some of the behaviours they encountered last school year, she says.

"To really help students to thrive, feel safe, and get to know each other before they dive into the learning."

Campo McLeod says a primary goal for the teachers she's connected with is to regulate anxiety while listening to students' voices — and providing them the tools to have difficult conversations.

"Just supporting our teachers and our students to really meet those needs of everyone, knowing that the supports are there to kind of walk alongside them as we all kind of navigate this new territory and being able to have that ability that it's okay to talk about it when you're having issues or that they know where to go or even what to call it."

Nolan says she's hopeful the pandemic won't have long lasting effects on how teens and children cope with life.

"I'm really hopeful, actually, that they will come out in the end more resilient. So we as educators realize we're not equipped, we're not all trained in mental health, but now we are becoming trained in the ways that we can help ourselves and help our students." 

Specific lessons such as mindfulness curriculum and breathing strategies are being taught, says Nolan, so when students feel anxious and stressed they have tools in the moment to regulate their nervous system and calm down their bodies. 

According to Campo McLeod, this fall is an exciting opportunity to focus on mental health and wellness, and providing that education. 

"It's encouraging to think that one day these will be our adults, and talking about mental health and wellness is just part of their everyday vocabulary. And so that makes me really excited for what's coming."