An Oxfordshire parent believes the past year has affected her children “in every way possible”.

And she isn't the only parent who is concerned about how the pandemic's impact on youngsters.

The loneliness resulting from the lack of contact with friends, grandparents and family has had serious effects on their mental well-being, according to our Facebook followers.

Rachael Marshall, who comes from Abingdon, has a son Alfie, 13, who is a little shy.

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She said: “I know it’s affected him massively, as it has done all children. My son struggled before Covid and this has only just made it worse for him.

“He missed seeing his dad for his birthday in November and over Christmas due to either one of us having to isolate.”

Stressed parent Aimee Clifton added: “My kids only leave the house to go to their dad’s. They have not seen their friends or family.

“The only excitement they get is when I come back with a tray of Krispy Kremes after leaving them in the car while I speed walk round Tesco in the hopes they haven’t smacked each other in my absence.”

For all the home schooling and video chats, most children found lockdowns frustrating and dull.

Hailey Townsend said: “My daughter misses her friends, her teachers and her routine. She is bored, it’s no fun being cooped up all day, learning from a screen.”

READ ALSO: Covid in Oxfordshire: Maps show areas with no cases

Jenny Singleton, who is a support worker at Sevacare, said: “My kids just want a normal life back – our routines and random trips to the park, seeing friends. My son is desperate to go back to football and finally get to play in the final of the winter trophy event.”

But most parents’ biggest worries are around the loss of their children’s education.

Naomi, a caseworker at West Oxfordshire Citizens Advice, said: “Yes, they will soon be going back to school but the impact to engage is going to be a struggle. Education in the minds of youth has lost its importance replaced by the need for nurture, reassurance, security.”

She is also anxious about the significant increase in screen time children have experienced. “My guess is the majority use the world of digital escapism. So now we have an endless battle of undoing the damage caused by sitting them in front of a screen and then expecting them to join us in the non-digital world.”

Some felt measures such as lateral flow tests for schools should have been brought in earlier.

READ ALSO: How do Covid cases in county compare to rest of England?

Healthcare assistant Karlos Baker said: “I have the joy of an eight year old and a 14 year old. Their mental health has suffered. Let’s get the teachers jabbed and PCR tests in schools like last week!”

There were also worries about children’s future career prospects.

Bhavin Patel, a health physics surveyor, said: “It’s messed up my son’s education. This is possibly the only generation to never sit a GCSE exam. But you can’t blame the teachers or the government. All the best to the kids of 20/21 in the future.”

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