It's fair to say that we've all had a rough time of it since the COVID-19 crisis took over our lives in the early days of 2020. None of us could have foreseen just how much the spread of this virulent plague was going to transform our lives.

However, one group which has arguably been hit the hardest by the pandemic are our young people. Our kids should be spending time out and about, meeting friends, hanging out at the park or at the beach, and letting their hair down at parties. However, with lockdown restrictions around the world putting severe limitations on how and when people can socialize, none of that has been possible.

However, with things starting to cautiously open up again, the time has come for children and teenagers to start getting their social lives back - something Summer 365 and PM Pediatrics is eager to help facilitate.

Summer 365

Started by summer camp veteran and marketer Susan Kasnett and her daughter Lauren, Summer 365 is a free camp matchmaking service which works with parents and their children to find summer experiences they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

"My summers as a child had an amazingly profound effect on my life. As a young camper, I remember looking forward to reuniting with my friends, making new ones, and soaking up new experiences," said Susan. "These magical moments were gifts that I could not wait to pass along to my three children. As they grew up, I could see how the benefits of a positive summer helped shape their character and strengthen their commitment to achieve greater. These benefits are long lasting, life changing, and the reason why I felt compelled to start Summer 365 along with my daughter Lauren."

However, as a responsible company with the best interests of young people at the core of its ethos, Summer 365 understands that the desire to get them back into camps and other exciting summer activities must be tempered with considerations regarding COVID-related safety. To this end, Summer 365 has recently partnered with veteran healthcare provider PM Pediatrics.

PM Pediatrics

As the nation's largest provider of specialist healthcare for children and other young people, PM Pediatrics has over 50 urgent care locations spread across 13 states of the US and have been delivering exceptional pediatric care for over 15 years.

As part of its mission to keep children fit and healthy - especially in the new normal foisted upon us by the COVID-19 crisis - PM Pediatrics has joined the team at Summer 365 to provide concerned parents with up-to-the-minute health advice ahead of them setting off for camp or other summer activities.

"As a trusted resource and advisor to the families, camp/program partners, and industry we serve, we love to share other experts and valuable resources we know, respect, and believe our community would benefit from," said Summer 365 in a press release announcing the partnership. "As we all know, in this new normal and COVID world we are living in, there is tons of new information rapidly being shared. It can be overwhelming and confusing on how best to make informed decisions specific to your child and family."

PM Pediatrics' Dr. Christina Johns will be on hand as a specialist pediatric advisor and will be available 365 days a year to work with Summer 365, parents, and young people, to discuss the best ways to enjoy their summers while remaining safe, healthy, and well.

As we know, teenagers especially spend a lot of time using social media and this dependence will only have grown over lockdowns. We also know that a lot of bogus health advice and COVID misinformation spreads on social media. This means young people need access to accurate and reliable information which will empower them and their families to make an informed choice regarding their summer activities. This is where Dr. Christina Johns and PM Pediatrics come in.

Final Thoughts

While the grim specter of COVID-19 is going to be hanging around for some time yet, few argue that our young people need to start getting their lives back. The experiences they have during these formative years will help mold them into the adults they will one day grow into, and we need to guide them into becoming the best they can possibly be.

Summer 365 and PM Pediatrics are helping to fulfil this mission - and let's hope we can keep our children enjoying their summers the way they should once again.

You can hear PM Pediatrics' Chief Experience Officer Jason Dupuis speak at NGPX 2021, taking place in December at the JW Marriott Palm Desert Resort & Spa.

Download the agenda today for more information and insights.