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(Describer) Titles appear over computer generated images of the rotating earth and the Covid 19 virus. Barbara Harrison Media. Kids speak out. Today.

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(Describer) Coronavirus. Covid 19. A floating medical capsule spills its contents.

(Describer) Barbara Harrison.

Hello, and welcome, everyone, to Kids Speak Out, conversations with kids across the country and around the world. We're talking today again about the Coronavirus, and we have a wonderful guest joining us to talk about our fears and concerns and some other subjects that may be on your mind, Dr. Joshua Weiner, a noted child psychiatrist. Let's see who's in the gallery today. My name is Matthias. I'm nine, and I live in Florence in Italy. Let's go to Monte Carlo. Hi, my name is Thies. I'm ten, and then I'm from Monte Carlo. Hi, my name is Lucas. I'm 11 years old, and I'm from Monte Carlo. Cal. Hi, my name is Cal. I'm ten years old, and I'm from Mill Valley, California. Charlotte. Hi, I'm Charlotte. I'm 17, and I live in Stratford-upon-Avon. Olivia. Hi, my name is Olivia and I'm 17, and I live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Riley. Hi, I'm Riley. I'm 15, and I live in Los Angeles, California. Grayson.

(Grayson) Hi, I'm Grayson. I'm 13, and I live in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Felipe. Hi, my name's Felipe. I'm 15, and I live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Oliver.

(Oliver) Hi, I'm Oliver and I'm 15 years old and live in Los Angeles, California. Well, we're so happy to have all of you with us. You represent a lot of the world. And I know that some of you are up late to be with us today and some up very, very early on the west coast of our country. So let's just get started. You know, a lot has changed in the last few weeks even. And let's go around the-- the gallery and find out what's changed the most for you? What's--what's it like right now in your city? Let's begin with Charlotte. Um, it's quite quiet, but, you know, there are some people still going out, obviously, social distancing, But to be honest, everyone's been quite respectful of the whole social distancing rule. And, yeah, to be honest, it's pretty much the same as staying home on the weekends and just watching TV instead of doing schoolwork, which you should be doing, but don't. Yeah, it's pretty much the same as staying inside, but obviously, it's kind of forced now.

(Harrison) Grayson, what about for you in Maryland, USA? Everybody is not really social distancing, I feel like, how they should be. A lot of people are leaving their house. Like, yesterday, I went to the store, and the store was packed. And I don't think there should be that many people in the store. And, like, there's been a lot of people catching the virus more. I have friends who have catched the virus and people's uncles who have died from it that I know. And I just find it very sad that people can't-- I feel like, if this was taken-- the social distance thing, and, like, all the other stuff was taken earlier when they had known about the coronavirus, but they didn't do anything, we wouldn't have experienced this many deaths from it, and not that many people have-- would have caught the virus. Well, let's go up to Cal. Cal, what about in San Francisco, where you all started social distancing very early? Everything's shut down. Obviously, grocery stores are open. Um, I go on bike rides around the neighborhood. So, like, you can go outside. Everyone's social distancing, and yeah. And let's go to Monaco, where it's always beautiful. Right? Is the sun always shining there? We don't know, because we're not in Monaco. We're in France right now in our weekend house. So here it's pretty quiet. Sometimes we see people in the neighborhood that are, like, biking around or skateboarding or rollerblading. Let's go to Los Angeles. And what's going on out there? It's also pretty quiet. There's definitely a group of people who are still out and seeing friends, which upsets others, because you're-- we're required not to see anyone else. Like, for example, yesterday, my dad was driving home from getting food, and he saw a bunch of people getting tickets on the side of PCH, because they were watching the sunset, so it's-- the police are taking it very, very heavily over here. But the people are as well, just not as much as they should be. And in Sao Paulo. Recently, we had been doing well. So we had 60% of people-- they were tracking with the cell towers-- were staying home. But then this week, we're now back to 40%. And yesterday, I went to the grocery store, and you could see traffic went up a lot. And the reason why that's happening is because the president is not taking it seriously. He's made countless jokes and posted on Instagram, saying how he doesn't think it's a real thing or he thinks it's a little flu and that everyone should go back to work. But that's different from what the governor of Sao Paulo is saying. And he's advising that everyone stays home, and he has shut everything down. But now--so then there's these conflicting interests between the government and the president. And the president has also-- two days ago, he posted a video of himself going to many hospitals, going to pharmacies, walking around the capital of Brazil, in Brasília. And yesterday, or two days ago in Sao Paulo, we also had a protest, Where it was up on one-- a very famous avenue here called Avenida Paulista, and there were many people going on there that had-- were walking, they were riding their bikes, they were going on motorcycles, very together and confined. And they were protesting, saying that, social isolation should end and that everyone should just go on and live their normal lives, because they were following the advice of the president.

(Harrison) Well, what are you hearing out in Los Angeles? We have Oliver with us from LA as well, Oliver? Yeah, it's definitely pretty quiet. I mean, there's not as much people walking around, like, in public areas. However, like, in residential areas, there's definitely--just going down the street, there's-- like, you'll see so many people walking their dog, biking, doing-- just, it's not like a normal-- you know, if you walked out on a normal Saturday, you wouldn't see as much physical activities. So it's definitely-- people are finding more ways to get outside than they usually would. To Florence, Italy now. Have I covered almost everybody? Except, I'm going to go to Felipe last, 'cause I know he has a question. Let's ask you, Matthias, what's it like in Florence now? The last time we spoke with you, you told us it was pretty quiet. Do you still have to wear a mask when you go outside? Um, yes, you do. But you still can go out biking. And sometimes when I go biking, I see people walking. But it-- not like before that where there were lots of people. And you have to wear a mask when you go outside? The other day, the government made it official, but before, you could also go out without it. Okay, well, that's what's happening around here as well. Well, I'm going to go to Felipe now, Dr. Weiner, because he had a message for you, a question before, about what it's like to be-- um, having-- having to stay inside and not go out. And under some circumstances, it's not easy to hold back all the energy you might have. Uh, Felipe, do you want to ask the doctor about that? So I--at school I do two sports after school, and that's how I usually spend most of my time and energy. And I was just wondering, like, what I can do at home to, like, spend all of this energy that I usually spend on sports or after-school activities, hanging out with my friends. And, like, now I can't really do any of that, so, like, just any advice or any tips on how I can, like, spend that energy here at home without, like, having much to do. I know it's a hard thing, because you're stuck inside for a lot of the time. I don't know whether in your area you're able to get outside a little bit, maybe put on a mask, go outside and go for a run, ride your bike. Obviously, you're going to want to try to keep your distance from everybody. The other thing that I see some people doing and I've heard from some people is that they're doing a lot of online workouts. So maybe if you have a stationary bike and you can get online and you could do some of those bike rides where you're online with other people or any kind of video exercising. Of course, it's not going to be the same, obviously, as going out and getting your normal run or doing whatever you would normally do. But the more you can do, obviously, the better, because throughout this, we know that exercise is just so helpful for so many aspects of how you're feeling. So it's going to impact your sleep, it's going to impact your mood, It's going to impact your anxiety. What you really, too, also want to try to do is just try, as much as you can, to stick to kind of the normal routine as much as possible. I know a lot of kids are maybe staying up late, late, late into the night and then sleeping a lot of the day, just 'cause they don't really have a whole lot going on. But unfortunately, although that might seem like it makes sense, I don't think that's really going to be the best for you. So as much as you can, maybe try to stick to your normal routine. Think about some things that maybe you can look up online that maybe would be fun to do for some exercise videos.

(Harrison) There are so many things happening in the world today that you want and need to talk about. Speaking out is a privilege and a responsibility. When you see something, sometimes you want to talk about it, ask a question, share an opinion, or hear those of others. It can help us to build a better world. Kids Speak Out. Some of the--the kids that we've talked to have said that there are one or two things that they really, really miss being able to do. Why don't we ask-- Cal, you told me that, uh, you like to--to swim with the swim team, right? Uh, yeah. So I am on the swim team. And I don't have a pool at my house, so I can't do any of that. And I really miss that and my friends. You know, one of the things that I've found pretty interesting as I've been talking to my patients and doing video appointments with patients, since we, of course, can't be in the office, is that a lot of the kids that I'm seeing, particularly those that are in high school and younger, that a lot of them have felt like life's been a lot less stressful in many ways. Because they don't have school, and they're feeling like there's just not a lot of worry about missing out socially, because they kind of know that everybody's sort of hunkered down and not really doing much of anything. So I'm wondering whether that experience that I'm hearing from my patients that are in the Washington, DC area, whether some of the kids from around the world are also feeling some of that, whether they feel like life, in some ways, is a little less stressful and a little nicer in some regards. That's a good question. Anybody finding this a better life, being able to stay home? Or at least is less stressful?

(Olivia) Yeah, I think definitely, like, at first I thought it was like, oh, this is so, like, a lot more relaxing and everything, but then now, I feel like, especially with online school and, like, just, like, what the expectations are and everything else, not doing stuff makes me worried that I'm, like, falling behind or that I'm not--or that I'm, like, missing out on doing the work that I should be doing, or it makes me feel, like, less productive. Where I was telling my sister, 'cause she-- she's now back from college, but I was telling her, 'cause she's been gone all year, and I was like, yeah, mostly on Sundays, I would, like, wake up from 8:00 a.m. to, like, 8:00 p.m. and just, like, kind of study and take some breaks to, like, eat lunch, breakfast, and dinner. But now I, like, can just, like, watch TV, which is not something I used to do. So it's very, kind of, like-- it's more stressful, 'cause I feel like, wow, I'm, like, doing something wrong. Like you ought to be doing something more important than watching TV?

(Olivia) Yeah.

(Harrison) And feel--feeling guilty. Let--I want to ask Oliver, is there anything that you really miss about-- about being able to get out? Or are you really kind of liking staying home? The one thing that is easier is probably school online. Because I feel like, in the classroom, there's a lot of time where, you know, we're just, like, transitioning and getting everyone to focus and all that kind of stuff, and we spend a lot more time doing stuff like that during the day.

(Harrison) And Thies and Lucas, you are both set in France right now, right?

(Thies) Yeah.

(Harrison) And are you both doing school at home?

(speaker) [indistinct]

(Thies) I did football. And now I can't play with my friends, but I can go with my dad. So... Are you on vacation in France, did you say?

(Thies) Yeah. I see, so is this spring break for you guys? Yeah, and we have the pool, so we can go in the pool and stuff. Oh, that's great. Lucas, what about you? You don't--aren't doing any schoolwork at all right now? Uh, not during the break. I think we have some homework to do for, uh, when we get back to school. Dr. Weiner, do you think that it's-- that it's good for kids to be in school the way they are now, having their homeschooling or-- or with the teachers, where they have to sit in front of a computer to learn? Well, I don't think it's optimal, but I do think that everybody's just trying to make the best of the situation. And so, I mean, in many ways, luckily we're in an environment where we actually can do some of these things. 'Cause you can imagine, 15 years ago, it just wouldn't have been possible for us to do a lot of this stuff. So now with the online learning, some of this stuff is possible that we couldn't have done. As well as, from a social perspective, the one thing, I think, that's kind of cool, is that a lot of kids, at least with my kids in my house, as well as the kids that I see in my practice, a lot of them are still able to maintain some social connectedness that they wouldn't have been able to do, again, 15 years ago. They're online, they're playing video games with their friends. They're talking to each other over FaceTime or Instagram and, you know, social media of all types. So, um--but to your question about school, look, is it--is it ideal? No. I do think there's something to be said for being in the classroom. I do think there's something to the direct, person-to-person contact. I don't think that communication over video is optimal. But I do think that they're-- they're making it work. And I think for a lot of kids, you know, they're feeling like they're still getting some education, and it's not a complete waste of time.

(Harrison) There are so many things happening in the world today that you want and need to talk about. Hi, my name's Tom. Hi, my name's Catherine. My name's Julia.

(Harrison) Speaking out is a privilege and a responsibility. Things on campus aren't happening. So it's almost like we're together.

(Harrison) For more information, go to www.kidspeakout.me. I'm wondering, in-- in England, Charlotte, are you doing any socializing at all, and if so, how? I think the socializing here, there's, um, lots of FaceTimes are happening. There's--I'm not sure if you have it in America or Brazil or, you know, where everyone else is from, but there's an app called Houseparty. And there's kind of been a surge in people downloading that and using it to talk to their friends. Um, but I think with school, like what you were saying, to be honest, I've found it a bit more stressful, 'cause with school, I found that if you have a routine and, like, you know what you're doing from a day-to-day basis, it's much easier to kind of keep on top of schoolwork. But for my school, personally, our exams-- 'cause I'm in year 12, we have mock exams this year instead of proper A levels next year. Our mock exams have been postponed slash canceled. But, um-- so we don't really know what's going on in that sense. But, um, yeah, I think it's-- it's difficult to say, 'cause there are kind of good aspects and bad aspects, but, yeah, I think like Dr. Weiner was saying, it's making the best out of a bad situation.

(Harrison) Exactly. Grayson, in Prince George's County, Maryland, are you going to school right now-- uh, not going to school, but having school come to you? I really haven't been doing the online school thing. I get--I just--I print it out, and then I send it back to my school, 'cause I can't focus during, like-- with all the people on the screen. Like, this right now, for me, talking to y'all, it's kind of hard for me. I'm kind of getting distracted. I have to be in, like, a real school, sitting down in a chair to be able to actually do schoolwork. So I take it more stressful, because I can't go on a computer and learn.

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So much going on around you? Yeah. And I got dogs barking and all of that. Nah, I can't--I can't focus. I just--I just want to go down there and pet them, and then--but I can't. I have to do schoolwork. And so I just-- I find it easier if I take-- I most of the time do my work during the nighttime, if I'm going to do it. That's why I print it out. Because at nighttime, I'm more calm, and I'm not distracted, so I just do my work then, and I go to sleep. Well, that's a good idea, don't you think, Dr. Weiner? Sure, I mean, I think you got to figure out what works for you, right? I mean, what works for one doesn't work for everybody. so I think you found a solution that seems to be working out, so I don't have a major issue with it. Whatever works. As long as you're trying your best to, obviously, make sure you're still keeping a decent routine and getting enough sleep, then it's no big deal in my book. Well, we've had a very lively conversation today, and we're glad that you were with us. We're going to have a part two coming up, so be sure to tune in for that. And if you want to know more about our program and get involved, go to our website: kidspeakout.me. We hope you'll have a great day, and we'll see you soon.

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(Describer) Titles appear over computer generated images of the rotating earth and the Covid 19 virus. Barbara Harrison Media. Kids speak out. Today.

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(Describer) Coronavirus. Covid 19. A floating medical capsule spills its contents. Accessibility provided by the US Department of Education.

Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.