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 The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill.

It forced families into social isolation as a non-medical measure to slow the spread of the virus. 

Distancing and social isolation were adopted worldwide. They required separation, isolation, and quarantine. And while these precautions aimed to protect public health, they also created unforeseen challenges—especially for our children and teens. 

Studies show that this isolation influenced people's daily behavior, causing anxiety, fear, depression, and panic.

The social distancing disrupted routines, limited face-to-face interactions, and left many young people struggling with feelings of loneliness and uncertainty. They felt isolated. Alone.

Of course, this makes sense. We’ve learned that social distancing can aggravate or generate functional and behavioral difficulties in our youth. Yup. Social distancing can really mess with our kids' heads and how they act.

You remember. Schools shifted online and you were your child's "homeschool" teacher. Extracurricular activities were canceled and the inperson ways of connecting with friends all but disappeared. 

In this time of isolation, you had to find new ways to support your children’s emotional and social well-being. But it was hard. Real hard.

As a parent, you likely felt the weight and saw the effects of these changes.

You watched your child navigate a world that suddenly felt smaller, missing the friendships and experiences that once came so easily. You felt powerless.

In that moment, you watched your child play video games more than before. Much more.

This was scary and concerning. What were they doing? Who were they playing with? What were they seeing, hearing? Was any of it good?

Your hands were tied. There wasn’t much you could do.

In all of that, they, too, were trying to figure out the new normal.

Whether it was an online, multiplayer game or a single-player game, this is where they went when they had time on their hands.

And they had a lot of it.

Today, while most of the inperson activities have returned, the feelings of isolation have not all left. But all is not lost. There is hope.

The resuming of inperson activities and the forming of online communities have begun to address the feelings of isolation. Movie theaters, malls, sporting events, arcades, and even healthy online communities are now giving us opportunities to shed the feelings of isolation.

And this is good. We are made for community. It’s part of the human experience.

When we are together, we can support each other, care for each other, and push the isolation away. Galatians 6:2 reminds us to help others who are struggling, and to share the weight of their trials, struggles, and challenges. 

We can do that well when we are in community with each other.

Make the connection:

How might we create space for conversations with our players and youth about any feelings of isolation?

We are #ForTheGamer and help players play with purpose and win for good.