My 2-cents worth

Our older 2 have had a very mixed bag of schooling, and then COVID hit. Schooling went to nil, while at the same time the circle of friends that they had dropped dramatically, and was always the same small number- 3 siblings in the home, together. Maybe 6 children of a similar age, but only occasionally, Plus some cousins when travel to the province was possible.
Just recently, they’ve started school again, with a few false starts.

Two things are immediately obvious. Their behaviour has changed. More open, more energy, more inquisitiveness. They’ve made a whole set of new friends, and in particular they’re not mixing with, and claiming the same friends. At the same time, their ability to concentrate, and get some actually learning has improved.

I think isolation, and limited interaction is the key.

Taking the WW2 comparison, I’ve only got what my folks, and my uncle/aunt in the UK can relate. They had a fairly broad circle of friends, they all encountered, and shared daily the same events.

I’d say that only a few aspects of the pandemic might be related and compared with those previous world events.