DEAR ABBY: I am worried about my kids and their social well-being. I understand we are in a pandemic. Our family has been responsible and socially distancing, but it seems like their friends have all been spending time together. Understandably, my kids are jealous and angry at their father and me for putting restrictions on them. But I am worried about their lack of social interaction and how it may affect their future. One of them has a harder time making friends and doesn't have many things in common with their peers, which led to spending more time at home when there was no pandemic. -- WORRIED MOM IN NEW YORK
DEAR WORRIED: Until the threat of COVID has been resolved, it's up to you as parents to decide how you restrict your children in relation to the pandemic. Of course you want to protect them, even if your choices aren't popular. Kids can be careless. They can forget to pull their masks up and stay socially distanced, and the results can be tragic. But there are relatively safe outdoor activities parents can plan to keep their children from being completely isolated.
As to your child who is less socially adept, this is a subject to discuss with his/her teachers or a child psychologist. Perhaps you can help by researching online interest groups this child can join that will connect them with other children -- under your supervision, of course.