As people distance themselves during the pandemic, it may be difficult for young children to make connections with others.

Parents may be asking themselves how their children can learn about healthy relationships when they are being told to stay away from others.

"It's a tough question, 'cause I don't think there's ever been a time like this before," says Dr. Marilyn C. Augustyn. She is the director of the Divisional Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center.

"I think all of us are a little bit uncertain about sort of social norms," Augustyn says.

She says there is a worry that young children just learning about social boundaries could get confused by social distancing and all that they are seeing around them. But she says that parents can help.

"It's really going to be the adults providing that scaffolding to understand that social communication right now involves masks, right now, involves being 6 feet apart, again to keep each other safe and healthy," Augustyn says.

She adds that children are resilient and as long as they have a sense of security and an age-appropriate understanding of what surrounds them, their social development will continue to grow.

"It comes from that strong, nurturing base that families can provide for children that's going to see all of us through this," Augustyn says.