Social Media Analysis

Recess Therapy: A Remedy For Ephebiphobia

Children scare me. The age range from four to fourteen in particular. There's something about their freewillingless coupled together with their bravery that frighten my jaded outlook on life. For those unacclimated with Ephebiphobia; it's basically the fear of youth. Now, I don't plan on practicing a self-diagnose anytime soon; however, I've found myself in uncomfortable circumstances involving children on a regular basis.

My mom owns an art studio nearby my home back in New Jersey. Every summer, she takes pride in running her annual summer camps with dozens of kids in attendance who paint, draw, and wreak havoc in her shop; and I get the privelege to occasssionally oversee the filthy fun. Throughout my meager moments in that studio, I've witnessed the worst possible traits within the realm of adolescence. Recess Therapy has helped.

For those unaware of Recess Therapy, its a web series in which host Julian Shapiro-Barnum interviews children between ages 3 and 9 in New York City. Barnum started sharing these interviews on YouTube and Instagram in 2021. Nowadays, the show has millions of followers going viral weekly following each interview posted to socials.

These wacky interviews hold the remedy for Ephebiphobia due to each kid's quirks that they possess and highlight throughout each second on camera. Whether it be witnessing the most-stressed kid in the world yell into a microphone about stupidness to the next kid telling the audience to not have kids to decrease stress, Recess Therapy will cure your cold for kids.

One interview in particular is my personal favorite for a multitude of reasons. In the YouTube video, "Host only has 2 WEEKS LEFT", Julian interviews Kiki for the second time. From the jump, Julian asks Kiki to recall something that she said in her previous interview. They cut back to the original interview where Kiki told the host he only has 20 weeks left to live. In the latest episode, she denies the recollection and claims that Julian only has two more weeks left. The host then asks Kiki what she thinks he should do before he dies. She responds by saying, "Anything you want. Like flying. Parachuting too". Once you watch the clip, you'll understand why Kiki's a star.

Not only are Kiki's answers hilarious; but the questions that Julian asks alongwith the snarky editing make this content worth watching. After recieving advice from Kiki about what he should do with his 2 weeks left on Earth, Julian decides to ask Kiki what she knows about underwater animals. Then, Kiki proceeds to educate me on how turtles breathe out of their butts. He then asks her what the scariest animal is. Kiki's response is priceless (alongwith the editing). She doesn't hesitate to reply with the answer 'megadogs'. Following that answer up with a reasonable squid. Then thinks about the answer a little further while the camera closens up on her thinking face. She then combines both previous answers into one by saying colossal squids. Kiki then gazes into the hosts eyes without saying anything while the buffering symbol trails across her face with the boot up motem sound following it.

I know that I'm struggling to detail what makes this specific clip work; however, if you watch it for yourself and don't enjoy it, there's something wrong with you. The children that Julian interviews are diverse and defiant. The host himself plays along with the kids, persuading them into unpacking what they've just said. Plus, the editing is top-notch. No, seriously. Whoever is editing these clips (specifically for instagram and TikTok) has my upmost respect. Whether it be a funny sound effect coupled with a camera zoom or something else unexplainable, I commend the editors on this team. If Julian himself edits these than I'd have to crown him as coolest content creator ever! My only gripe with Recess Therapy is that they haven't interviewd my younger brother yet. He's an 8 year old on the spectrum in an 80 year old's body who loves sonic and sports. I think he'd go viral for sure. Until then, I'll be watching Recess Therapy every time I want to cry about what the human experience has turned into.