Last week, a sign hung in my son’s room, eagerly anticipating what was meant to be his triumphant return to ice hockey after an extended hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions. His excitement was palpable; he had been counting down the days. The night before, he exclaimed, “I can’t wait for hockey tomorrow, Mom!”
He desperately needs this sport. The physical activity, the camaraderie with his teammates, and the structure of a consistent routine are essential for his development. Beyond just fun, hockey teaches him vital lessons about healthy competition. He thrives on the motivation from a coach—something that can’t be replicated by a parent or teacher. He learns resilience through both victories and defeats, understanding that sometimes he may not be the fastest on the ice but can still learn to improve. He needs the chance to experience the frustrations of bad calls by referees and to differentiate between physical play and unfair tactics. Sports provide him with invaluable life lessons while he believes he’s simply enjoying himself.
On the morning of his much-anticipated return, he burst out of bed, overflowing with joy. He even changed his sign to read “Happy Hockey” and serenaded us with a little tune he created about the game. It was a wonderful day—one we had all been waiting for, sometimes with patience and other times with impatience. With COVID-19 threatening to cancel everything, we were unsure if this day would ever come. With a huge smile, he left for school, and my heart swelled with pride.
Then the phone rang. “Max is now in quarantine.” My mind whirled with confusion and a barrage of questions that felt completely overwhelming. It turned out that Max had been in class with a student who tested positive for COVID. My initial reaction? “What about hockey?” In that moment, I didn’t think about his health or the implications of the situation. All I could focus on was the fact that he would miss hockey for another two weeks—unexpected, uncontrollable, and a perfect representation of pandemic life—disappointment.
I worry about the unspoken lessons our children are absorbing during this time: that nothing is guaranteed, that excitement often leads to letdowns, and that the structures they once relied on are now unreliable. Children should feel secure in their routines, trusting that school and sports are dependable, yet these pillars have been shaken for an entire year.
So what comes next? Will Max be cautious with his excitement moving forward? How can I support him during this prolonged period of uncertainty? What solutions are there? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers.
This is just one small, yet significant, experience that our children are facing—one that rarely receives the attention it deserves. They have learned to brace for disappointment, to temper their enthusiasm, and to grapple with the reality that the things they once relied on can no longer be trusted. This deeply concerns me for their mental health, both now and in the future. As a parent, I often feel inadequate in providing the support they need.
On that day, when I picked Max up from school and saw the confusion and fear in his teary eyes, I felt the weight of his disappointment. When it clicked for him—“But what about hockey tonight, Mom?”—I reassured him, “You’ll play again in two weeks; it will go by quickly, I promise.” Fortunately, he’s counting down the days once more, filled with excitement, while I can’t shake my apprehension about future cancellations.
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