sincerely, the children: what your kids think about the pandemic and protests of 2019/2020
I love children more than I like most adults. Perhaps it’s because I’m a chronic daydreamer who wonders if there will be fairies, unicorns, and maybe even a friendly dragon or reformed troll in heaven. Truth be told, I can hold an entire conversation with a four-year-old much more so than I can a thirty-year-old adult. So it’s natural for me in a time of crisis to be concerned with how children are feeling.
The marvelous thing about kids is that even in a crisis they manage to remain fully invested in their imaginations. Often, it’s the thing that saves them. Their house is on fire and they imagine themselves to be an invincible force made of any number of things. The important thing is that whatever they dream up, it’s often what leads them through the door engulfed in flames.
I know it sounds morbid, but we love morbid children’s stories. Grimm’s Fairy Tales and every classic children’s book usually star an orphan who lives on the corner of Macabre and Desolation. It’s their survival journey that inspires us and tells us that we, too, can make it.
In a sense, our children live on that same dismal corner with the Covid 19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests and riots sparked by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. I know that, like me, you long to shield them from this grief. I know how devastating it feels to witness your baby’s childhood suddenly dwindle in such confining circumstances—birthday parades, virtual graduations, zoom playdates. It’s all so surreal.
But take heart: your kids are resilient. Don’t get me wrong – they are sad and fed-up and scared, but mostly, they are tenaciously still children relentlessly being children. All of them are selfish in all the right ways—they can’t help but to think, “but what does this have to do with me?” And well they should. Some of them are precociously introspective, while others are funnier than late-night comedians. I truly enjoyed reading every single email, watching the videos that a few sent, and listening to the recordings that rang like wind chimes in our home. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard little voices chatter within our walls. It was a soothing reminder that hope not only remains, but it’s verdant and fertile.
A word to parents that sent in responses: for the sake of everyone’s privacy, I kept to just the age of the children and no names or location. Also, I listed the children kinda randomly from youngest to oldest. If your kid gave two answers, I listed them separately so that each of their responses stood on its own merit.
Lastly might I strongly caution you to not compare your child’s answers with another kid’s? Children are wildly unique. Add to that, one kid might have just had a cupcake before answering, while another might have been waiting to have one until after giving an answer. Those differences matter in the language of kids. One kid’s “I don’t know,” could literally mean just that. Another kid could say “I don’t know,” but really being saying “I know how I feel, but I don’t know what you want me to say.” Bottom line, each kid’s answer was magnificent and worthy of my time, I swear to you. Each kid’s voice was nothing less than brilliant and precious to me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for sharing.
And for the teens who volunteered their voices: I hear you. You matter. You give me such hope.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABUT THE PANDEMIC AND THE PROTESTS?
I don't know. People are talking in some place else- 2
I think going to the protests means getting a mask on cuz we don’t wanna get germs. We sayed ‘Black lives matter’ and ‘justice’ - 3
Black people are nice- 3
I don't know- 4
They're marching! Because people have died. To try to stop people from making other people die. They're trying to keep people safe. The Black people. And the white people- 4
I don't know- 5
I don’t like them- (protests) 5
That Black lives matter and that Black lives are good so wear a mask- 5
I want the coronavirus to stop. I’m not a fan of the coronavirus- 5
I haven't gone to a protest. (Remember when we were in the van, and we were near by where Daddy had walked with neighbors at the community center? That was a protest. What did you think about it?) It was nice that it was peaceful- 5
Confusing, bad, you have to stay 6 feet apart- (pandemic) 5
Why do people hold hands up at the protest?(I tell him why) I think that I don’t like it- 5
That they have to stay close together, Black lives matter (What do you think about the protests happening during the pandemic?) It’s not supposed to happen but it’s complicated- 5
I think they would be safe if they stayed away from that police officer that killed him. (Have they told any other people?) Maybe just the Black people. (Do you think it’s ok for things to stay the way that it is?) Umm they have to turn their attitude around. (Who has to turn their attitude around?) Police officers because like some police officers might be mean- 5
I hate it so much. I wanna see people a lot- 6
Things were closed. You couldn’t go anywhere. Things are starting to get better bc it’s starting to get so warm out and killing all of the germs- 6
I think it was sad that the man & the girl got killed by the police- 6
I feel sad about one and I feel a little angry and sad about the other. (Which one do you feel sad about?) The pandemic— that we can’t visit people that much- 6
Can’t people just stop being racist? I think that— okay, let’s be serious here: I’m angry because that person killed George Floyd- 6
The protests and the pandemic are both bad but the pandemic is worse- 6
I think they are trying to tell everyone that Black lives are important- 6.5
I think the scientists are working hard to make a shot so that the pandemic can go away. I think people should just care about each other because we are all people, we are all the same- 7
So first of all, I think that this pandemic can be a little alarming in some ways because this pandemic has an awkward way of showing, “Hey I’m a pandemic! You gotta do something!” There’s these people in protest about George Floyd and I’m kinda stressed out with it. They had to kill him in such a way that it just compared to what police have done, George Floyd did nothing. I think that all this protests and Covid 19 is just a little alarming for a kid like me because I’m only seven and I have to take in all this pressure about the protests and Covid 19 and worrying about family members. And it just gives a lot of pressure. It gives a lot of pure pressure. It’s just coming at you from all directions and you can’t really stop it. And, it’s really hard to process all the information that I need—I need to know this information—but it’s hard to process it for my age- 7
I don’t want to get killed by the police before I get the chance to meet my birth parents- 8
I know that you don’t have to be scared [of the protests] but when I first heard about it, I was worried because it sounded dangerous before I knew it could be peaceful- 8
I think the pandemic is just normal. Sometimes I think it's boring that I'm not doing anything - that I can't do my birthday. I don't really like doing protests because you're just holding up a sign. They're showing people that black lives matter. I'm not sure the protests are enough. (Notes: she later clarified that though she doesn't like protesting, she believes that black lives matter.)- 8
A lot of people are fighting for black people because they have a different skin color. Some people don't think black people matter, and I think that's mean, because they are good people. The coronavirus makes me sad because many people are sick- 8
I know that I definitely don’t like what the police are doing because killing people for no reason is very wrong. But I know I’m not in charge of that—what’s happening—so I don’t worry about it as much- 8
I hate it. I don’t like that there has to be a protest while there’s a pandemic. (Why?) Because I’m having to learn about two big things at the same time. And instead of getting to do stuff with you or grandma or daddy, you guys are always talking about it with each other- 8
You have to social distance during a pandemic but no one is doing it. And at protests you can’t do it. Protests are ok because you are speaking for what you want but you have to be crunched in one space. It ruins the work we’re trying to do. (What if we wear masks while we protest?) I think if everyone does that, it might not be as bad as it could be. (Do you think it’s worth it for there to be protests for Black Lives Matter even though there’s a pandemic?) Yes I do- 8
I hate the coronavirus. I think the protests are a good idea- 8
Um.. Well, I feel like I’m definitely done with it and I want to get out of this house and go visit with friends and stuff- 8
Um, I think the protests where the cops are being mean to people, I really, really hate that. I don't like it because black people are the exact same as us, and it's not fair. And I don't even think Donald Trump cares, but that doesn't surprise me. And, can I say a bad word? (Try to find a different word) Okay, then I think coronavirus is a freaking nightmare. I wish more people could stay on earth, because that's why God made earth. So we could all live here. So I wish people could know if they were sick and only see doctors and no one else. And maybe that way less people would die. And protesting during coronavirus is a bad idea. But maybe the protesters could go stand outside of the hospitals so that sick people could see the protests and cheer from the windows. I don't think the protests should stop, but they should stop doing it where people get sick and maybe do it from email and stuff- 8
Boring. Because we can’t go umm… with our friends. But it’ll be to restart as a break for its, you know.(What do you mean?) That umm.. God has something to it that’s good about it. (That’s good about the pandemic?) Yeah. (What do you think that is? Do you know?) No. Not Yet- 8
Protests? (The protests in the streets that are taking place right now.) What do you mean protests? (The people going out and marching in the streets. The protests.) Parades? (It’s like a parade but different. They’re protesting what happened to George Floyd.) Oh. (What do think about that?) I don’t know I haven’t heard very much (You haven’t heard of it much?) No. (Well, what do you think about now that you know about it? There’s people protesting in all the cities in the streets about what happened to him. Do you remember what happened to him when we told you about it?) Yeah. (People are going—everyone’s going out into the cities and the streets, and marching and protesting against. What do you think about that?) Not really anything. Just that I wished that the police didn’t do that- 8
I do not like the pandemic, but I do like the protests because they are good. I think they are good because black people are being killed and people want to stop it- 8 (almost 9)
Feeling scared. Not wanting to go to the protests. Safety. (What do you mean?) When you go to the protests, I get scared- 9
The pandemic makes me sad. I can't see my friends and I can't go to a diner with Grandma and Grandpa. I think they should keep having those signs until everybody knows. Some white people say it's fine. Black lives don't matter. People think animals matter but not black people- 9
Well, the pandemic is stopping me from doing things I really like, and the protests are really good because I think Black people matter- 9
I am angry people have to march. People should be able to be home and be safe. I want to support them but I am afraid of being pepper sprayed by police- 9
I think it's pretty... um... unusual. It doesn't really happen that much. Like I'm not used to it- 9
I’m scared of it- (pandemic) 10
I think it’s good. We are doing it for our black friends- (protests) 10
I think coronavirus and racism are just stupid. I feel like the protests — it’s good to be protesting, but since it’s dangerous for the citizens, it would be good if they didn’t have to do the protests. And then the pandemic — it’s fair that people have to stay at home. But with all these stores opening up, it’s too early. And it’s not fair to blame people from China or Japan even if it started there, because it’s not their fault- 10
The social distancing thing is bad enough because I was already down. I don't get the see any of my friends, only get to see my family members. And now that the cops are being really rude to the black people, it's like we're living in Hell. And they're picking off the black people first. It feels like we're living in an apocalypse. It's sad. It's just sad- 10
It’s boring and it’s not good. Umm… I wish it wasn’t here. It makes me miss friends- (pandemic) 10
I think it’s ummm good that the people should be angry, but they shouldn’t be like destroying things and burning buildings. But it’s right for them to be angry. Because it was wrong for the policeman to kill George Floyd- 10
I do not like COVID but I am glad the protests are happening because the stuff needs to change- 11
They're both pretty intense, because everyone's like making huge deals out of it, it's like oh, we have to stay inside, we can't go anywhere. And it's just intense and everyone's restless and enthusiastic- 11
With the protests, the whole thing could be dealt with quickly if the people who are racist would accept that they’re wrong and give up- 12
For the protests for black lives matter, I think it's amazing because some people treat black people like sh*t. And it's not okay. I feel like it's good that black people are doing what they need to in order to get heard. I sort of don't like it though, when people burn down buildings but it's practically the only way they get heard because some people are racist and don't listen- 12
I feel like it will either have a good or bad effect on the world because it might either teach people to be more wary of pandemics and viruses, or it will make them freak out any time they get sick. I don't really know what other people are experiencing or what their headspace is, so I don't really understand what everyone is going through and how it's affecting people. (Has it affected you?) All it's done is make it harder for me to be a social person and that is making it hard to stay 'like me'. If I'm not social, then I don't entirely know who I am because I kinda know who I am by how people know me- 12
I feel like it's good that people are doing protests, because the more frequently they happen, the more word will get out and more people will start joining, powering their point. Maybe it will finally be noticed by people in power- 12
Um... sometimes the pandemic can be hard. Sometimes it's a little easy. The protests, it's a lot of work to try to get America to become more equal- 13
With the pandemic, I think at this point I'm just like "let's be safe and be careful everyone. Because it seems like a lot of people are acting like it doesn't exist. For the protests I am happy that they are happening because it needs to happen. But people should have realized this way sooner since this has been happening since 1619 over and over again. George Floyd shouldn't have to be a wake up call because this happens all of the time but it goes unnoticed because it isn't filmed. And we haven't listened when someone has told us that this has happened to them- 14
And I think the protest are good and bad because they are trying to be heard that what happens to George was wrong. But they can get violent- 14
I think people need to take COVID more seriously. Even though people have had to make really hard choices and sacrifices during this time, it's important that we do what we can so that we don't make the situation worse. Give time for scientists and doctors to understand. I feel like people are so worried about doing what they want they don't think about how it affects others. I have kinda liked this time because it felt like a break from pressures. It also seemed to help people socially to just rest and think. That can be hard too but most of the time we're all too busy to think about life and our choices. The environment has also been helped- 16
The racial and social issues right now are hard. It affects me. I feel anxious. Black lives matter and they have experienced a lot of oppression and unjust acts. It makes me feel worried about my life too. I'm not white. I also am worried about the President. He makes things worse and seems to stir up problems. I know friends who were harassed because they are Asian and he called it the China virus. I was glad not to go to school during Covid and hear people blame me or other Asians. It made me scared- 16
WHAT DO YOU HOPE WILL HAPPEN?
I don't know. Trees over there- 2
Treating people fairly. Saying that people are nice. Saying we're not going to make you die. Be nice to each other. That everyone is safe (also wanted to send a toy and write a card...he doesn't quite understand how email works)- 4
The Corona virus will be done- 5
I hope, like, the coronavirus can't spread anymore so it can't spread around the world anymore. I don't really know what you mean. I can't understand- 5
I want the germs to go away and the laws to be treated fairly- 5
I think the protests is good and we wouldn’t need to do protests anymore. (Why wouldn’t we need to do protests anymore?) “because I think what they will make happen is they will make Black lives matter too. Black people are good people too. Black lives are good to have in the world- 5
I hope the police will stop killin’ in the guys because that’s not what they’re supposed to do! I hope the coronavirus goes away and I can see friends again!- 5
(What do you want for the future?) I don’t know. (What do you want to happen when you’re an adult?) That I want to stay safe. (How do you think that happens?) By staying in our house- 5
I hope the pandemic gets gone and I hope the protesters get what they want and things change- 5
I hope that no other black lives get killed- 6
I hope that everybody stops being racist- 6
I hope the guys who hurt that Black man get in trouble and the coronavirus goes away soon- 6
I hope the pandemic ends so that I can have my birthday. I want the protests to keep on going until the end of the pandemic because black lives matter. Besides protesting, we need to stand up for black people by praying to God- 6
I hope everything will go away and people will stay healthy- 6
I hope that they get what they want!- 6.5
I hope the police's boss will find out what happened so they can know that can't happen again, because we are all people, all the same. I hope the pandemic is gone away soon so I can go back to school and learn how to be a 3rd grader- 7
I hope that people in the chairs of our government will consider to close the restaurants again because even though people won’t get as much money it will keep everyone safe. So just go back to delivery and take-out because that will keep people safe and that might—just might—stop this pandemic. I’m not saying it will but it could. So, if people in the chairs of government would just really think about the people other than what they just want, then I think that would make the world a better place- 7
I hope that the police will see these protests as something like, “Hey they are saying something that’s true and that we did wrong.” And so I hope the police will change the ways that they’re doing because they’re treating black people like we aren’t people. Like a long time ago, they said we were animals and I believe they still believe in that. So they’re just treating us like we’re cows and we just (smacks hands together) and we’re not people. So I think they should really think about the question, “Are we people?” Because we are people who deserve to live just as much as you do. So you kill us and you murder us…- 7
I hope that all this stuff will end - the coronavirus will go away and this racist stuff will wash out and never come back. Because I know that it’s wrong and I don’t want it to happen anymore. I hope that I can go back to school and see all my friends and teachers- 8
I hope that when the pandemic is done, it will be normal, and you will just hug and go to Costco. I hope that we have a new president and that he will think that black lives matter. Will the president be black?- 8
I hope we get a medicine or a vitamin for the coronavirus. I hope Black people get their rights- 8
My hope is that people should just be treated equal- 8
I hope that, um, the police with stop hurting people. What I hope for the coronavirus is that it will go away and not come back for a while- 8
I hope that the pandemic will go away so we can get back to normal life and I hope that the protesters will win- 8
It's frustrating to not go inside anywhere because if our family gets the virus it might hurt my brother. I like the peaceful protests and what they're protesting for because everyone needs to be treated equal- 8 (Our son has multiple medical issues and is very high risk for complications from the virus.)
I hope the pandemic will be over soon and the vaccine will be ready soon. And for the protests, I hope the protests help make racism go away! I hope that White people and Black people can always be friends- 8
I just wish it would stop. And not happen, and this thing that made Corona should never become food ever again. Then maybe it could just stop. And I wish the protests could just stop too. I wish cops wouldn't be at protests. I wish cops would stay to their own business- 8
That it will stop. And that’ll be in history books- (pandemic) 8
That they’ll do justice on the police. (What would the justice on the police look like?) Putting them in jail for a little bit. But it’s weird because the people are the ones who put people in jail so who will put the police in jail- 8
I hope the global pandemic will stop soon so I can go back to school. I hope people will listen to the protests- 8 (almost 9)
That it will all end. (If it all ends, what will it look like?) Segregation and Corona to end. (We don't have segregation, with signs like white and colored). We are still going through it, just another form- 9
I hope Coronavirus will get over, and I hope no more Black people get killed anymore-9
I hope people will be treated fairly. I don’t want people to be killed on purpose. (When I asked why they were killed on purpose: I don’t want to say that. It makes me feel ashamed- 9
I hope that they come with a vaccine for coronavirus and then since there's a vaccine, then maybe if there's no more coronavirus there won't be black people dying anymore- 9
I hope people will understand that black lives matter and the pandemic will stop. I'm gonna go now- 9
I hope that black people will be treated better and the Corona virus will go away- 10
I hope coronavirus will end by the end of this year or earlier. I definitely think it will end by the end of this year, beginning of next. And I think for the protests, I hope people will stop being so racist and killing people for no reason. And I hope the government will realize they aren’t really helping anyone, and they need to wake up and realize people are getting hurt and they’re doing nothing about it- 10
The pandemic hard. It's hard to not see friends and family and to not want to get the virus. About the protests, I think all people should be treated fairly- 10
I hope we can hug people again soon. I want everybody to know their lives matter and people to love others- 10
I hope that Coronavirus will be gone, and along with it the racism will be gone too. We seriously have to change the racism. If a child goes up to her daddy and says that she thinks she's going to die at age eight, and that is her greatest fear, then what's the point of living? It's tragic. And I hope we can go back to normal for us with no coronavirus and no racism, but that isn't back to normal for black people. They don't have a normal life where they don't have to think about racism all the time. So I hope we can change it. It's just tragic, if you think about it- 10
For the pandemic, I hope it will die down so we can go back to normal life. And for the protesting, I hope the policemen will be… ummm will have justice— will be tried rightly. Like have the right punishment for killing George Floyd. (What do you think would be the right punishment?) Life imprisonment- 10
I hope that COVID-19 and racism will disappear forever- 11
I hope there's a vaccine for coronavirus and we'll stop being racist so that the protests stop. Like everyone can calm down- 11
I wish that people would stay home or wear masks so the covid cases go down, and that people would treated equally so when we can finally see people we wouldn’t have to worry about people’s safety- 12
That the whole world will be more understanding of what's going on around them. The world would be more noticing of what the Black community is experiencing and will help in starting to fix it. I hope that people won't take friends and family for granted (after Coronavirus) and just social experiences in general- 12
For the pandemic I just hope in the end it's all done and everything eventually goes back to normal. And for black people, I hope someone will actually listen because then they don't have to raid stores and burn buildings to get what they need- 12
Pandemic, hope it ends soon so we don't have to like, worry about like germs or anything. Protests should end because we need to like, have like, we don't want to have to do a lot of work just because of the policemen with George Floyd and Ahmaud, whatever his last name was- 13
I hope that after these series of events, once we hopefully get a different president, that there will start to be laws or amendments for the protection of black people. There hasn't really been protection of black people. Hopefully many more people will be aware and stand up in situations from big and small instances of racism and use the white privilege you have been given- 14
I hope the pandemic will end soon cuz like I miss acting and my social life 😂- 14
I hope there is more justice. Equality. I don't want racism to exist. That's probably too hard. I don't know. I just feel overwhelmed- 16
A HERE’S A POEM THAT ONE CHILD SENT IN—PROOF THAT SOME KIDS PROCESS DIFFERENTLY AND WHEN WE LET THEM BE, IT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING!
Dear Mr. Fleetwood,
With everything going on, I decided to write to you. I’m good at poems, so wrote one about hope. It also is a little bit about racism, too. I hope you enjoy it:
HOPE
It is a flicker of light, bringing goodness flowing to the soul.
It clear the cobwebs of our minds, to understand one another.
It brings a smile wherever it goes, with love and compassion to light up the room.
It clears out racism, sexism and builds trust in one another.
It also builds confidence, standing up for truth and light.
It reveals many things, our weaknesses, strengths, and helps us understand.
It brings joy, in a dark, chaotic, violent world.
It brings love, it changes, it soothes rage.
It calls out every one of us, bringing us home, out of the war, to safety.
I hope this makes a difference n your life. Please try to convince the teachers to talk more about racism, to raise up a less racist generation. Not only talking about it during black history month, but other times too. Lack of this is why these protests are happening- 10
