The COVID-19 pandemic forced many schools and businesses to close. This has caused many families to spend more time together in their homes. While this may be wonderful for some, it may be traumatic for others. In the novel Ghost by Jason Reynolds (one of the books we read in Words Alive programs), the main character experiences domestic violence and other insecurities at home. The current pandemic would probably have affected him in a negative way.

Journal your responses to the following questions:

How has the pandemic affected your home or family dynamic? Has it made your family closer or not?
What new challenges (if any) arose due to the stay-at-home mandate? Has there been any unexpected positivity? Explain.
How do you think we as a society could support young people like Ghost during this time?

This prompt was written by Kara Kersjes, a Words Alive volunteer.