First Friday Forum lecturer, Ryan Timpte, explores “The Impact of the Pandemic on Children and Families,” June 6 at 10 a.m. for the final webinar presentation of the year at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church.
The COVID-19 pandemic reached into all facets of our lives. First Friday Forum lecturer, Ryan Timpte, will explore one in his talk, “The Impact of the Pandemic on Children and Families,” June 6 at 10 a.m.
It is a webinar presentation with registration required.
Timpte said the pandemic has disrupted life for everyone in our society, especially young children and families.
“An interdisciplinary approach shows that the cracks kids have been falling through weren’t created by the pandemic. Instead, the pandemic merely exacerbated problems already inherent in our systems,” he said.
His talk will walk the audience through some of the key research that shows the cracks in our systems, as well as the questions parents, grandparents and concerned community members should be asking as our society moves forward in 2022.
“An example of what I’m talking about is the ways schools function in our society: instead of just being centers of learning, they function as food banks for kids who would otherwise go hungry, counseling centers for kids going through mental health crises and childcare facilities so that parents can work,” said Timpte. “All three of those issues (food insecurity, mental health challenges and childcare) were greatly exacerbated during the pandemic because schools were closed.”
Timpte said it’s worth asking some key questions: “Why has our society structured itself to place such a burden on schools? How can grandparents and the community at large, step up to alleviate some of that pressure? Why is our society structured to treat the issues facing children as ‘burdens’ in the first place?”
The former Director of Children’s Ministry at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC), Timpte has served children in churches and other non-profits for over 20 years. He holds a Master of Divinity and an M.A. in Christian Education from Princeton Theological Seminary. His primary job now is as a stay-at-home dad in the Bay Area for his two sons, ages 6 and 3. He said that job is “incredibly difficult and so much fun.”
Sponsored by LOPC, register for this event at lopc.org/first-friday-forum.
Bobbie Dodson can be reached at bobbiedodson109@gmail.com.
