COVID-19

Around one in five parents say they are often too stressed to cook. One in six parents say their child eats fast food at least twice a week. Three in five parents try to limit unhealthy items when their child eats fast food.

Over half of parents say at least one aspect of the 2020-21 school year was worse for their child than the prior year, while 1 in 3 say at least one aspect was better. 4 in 10 parents say their child is more enthusiastic about the 2021-22 school year than last year. 3 in 5 parents say their child would feel safer if most students and teachers were vaccinated against COVID.

3 in 4 parents say the recommendation of their child’s healthcare provider will be important to their COVID vaccine decision. A doctor’s office is the most preferred vaccination location for parents of children who have not received a COVID vaccine. Fewer lower-income than higher-income parents say they are likely to have their child get a COVID vaccine.

1 in 5 parents report their child had a virtual healthcare visit during the pandemic. Lower-income parents have more concerns about technical problems related to virtual care. Parents are more comfortable with virtual visits for mental health or minor illness than for check-ups.

3 in 4 parents say their child’s sport is about right in their approach to COVID-19 precautions. Most parents give high ratings to their child’s school or sports league for clear communication, treating children fairly and listening to parent concerns about COVID-19. 1 in 4 parents rate their child’s sports league as fair/poor for consistent enforcement of COVID-19 precautions.

3 in 4 parents say COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their teens being able to interact with friends. 1 in 3 teen girls and 1 in 5 teen boys have experienced new or worsening anxiety since March 2020. Half of parents have relaxed family rules to allow their teen more contact with friends.

1 in 3 parents say COVID-19 has made it hard to get dental care for their child. Children with Medicaid dental coverage have had more problems getting a preventive dental appointment. 1 in 4 parents say their child’s oral health habits have improved during the pandemic.

Overuse of social media/screen time and bullying/cyberbullying are the top 2 concerns among parents overall. Black parents rate racism as the top health concern for kids in the US. Almost half of parents rate COVID-19 as a “big problem.”

1 in 2 parents say COVID-19 has substantially decreased the time children spend with extended family members. Over half of parents say it is very important that their child sees extended family and shares in family holiday traditions. 1 in 3 parents feel the benefits of gathering with family for Thanksgiving are worth the risk of spreading or getting COVID-19.

Only 1 in 3 parents believe it is more important for their child to get flu vaccine this year compared to previous years, despite public health recommendations. Among parents who will not seek flu vaccine for their child this year, 1 in 7 say they are keeping their child away from health care sites due to concerns about COVID. Less than half of parents say their child's regular health care provider strongly recommends flu vaccination this year.