Economy broken, psyche in the bucket.

It hits everyone, and nobody can hear it anymore: The pandemic is annoying, destroying lives and lifestyles.

“Since the beginning of February I have been constantly saying that I can no longer.” This is what a tenth grader from Frankfurt says on the phone, who, like all young people who have their say here, remains anonymous.

“What we are currently experiencing is not a life, but just an existence.” Because it has been severely restricted for more than a year - no more sport, no more meetings with friends.

There is only one exception: once, after they gave them their certificates, she went to McDonald's with them.

Theresa White

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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    Adolescents were hardly allowed to go to school at all, the 14 to 17 age group had been at home for half a year.

    The vaccination sequence does not provide for adolescents at any point.

    Not to mention missed graduation trips, high school graduation parties, first kisses in the youth club.

    “It's about home office, business, shopping and grades.

    But our feelings and what does that mean for us?

    Pfff. ”This is what a respondent in the JuCo (Youth and Corona) study wrote, in which researchers from the universities of Frankfurt and Hildesheim examined the situation of young people in autumn 2020.

    Sure: others are also doing badly.

    The self-employed are economically on the brink, parents fail to juggle work and childcare.

    But the young people in particular have to be talked about.

    Because experts from sociology, education and developmental psychology warn: Thousands and thousands of young people and children will have an increased need for support once the pandemic has been overcome.

    Important for the emotional separation from parents

    Young people are particularly hard hit by the restrictions. Because they are actually in a phase of life in which they try out each other, establish relationships, distance themselves from their parents' home. Albert Scherr, Professor of Sociology from Frankfurt, who now teaches in Freiburg, has been researching the development of young people for decades. He says: “Being with friends is a much more important part of life than it is with adults.” Growing up includes finding one's own identity and starting relationships, and that is only possible in a social context with peers. All these steps are important for the emotional detachment from the parents.

    The young people have not been able to develop at this level for more than a year and often do not have the power to stand up for their cause.

    Many are not allowed to meet friends, especially not in groups.

    What are the youngsters losing?

    Those who cannot live out what constitutes adolescence for a year - friends, experiments, love relationships - above all lack time.

    This is how Werner Thole, professor of social education at the Kassel University of Applied Sciences and specialist in social work and youth, sees it.

    For him, growing up is first and foremost searching.

    Who am I?

    What is important to me

    These “search movements” that happen in the interaction are on hold.