Nearly half of children surveyed by the Ombudsman for Children's Office say the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed their lives.
1,389 children from 23 schools across Ireland took part in the recent survey, including schools in Cavan and Monaghan, where local children commented on their experiences of the pandemic.
One girl aged between 15 and 17 from Cavan said Covid, "ruined" her work ethic. While another Cavan teenager told the survey, "I was never able to properly experience 1st Year in Secondary School.
A lot of the teachers are doing their best to teach us, but some of us, are struggling, others just don't care anymore. Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning, underneath all the work, social pressure and self-doubt."
Meanwhile, another Cavan student felt that everyone was behind due to home-schooling. while another teenage boy added that the restrictions "impacted him more than the virus."
Despite this, some benefits of the pandemic were also expressed. One girl aged between 12 and 14 said, "Covid has honestly made me more confident and I now have a better relationship with my family and friends."
While another Cavan teenager said she had spent "much more time outdoors with family, and life was much more simple," which she enjoyed a lot.
