Many parents can’t go back to work if schools and day cares aren’t open.

[Em in Ohio]

As a single parent long ago, I counted on the schools to 'watch my children' while I worked. To be honest, they are like free baby-sitting services. At most, I had to pay for the couple extra hours of after-school care. While summers were always a challenge, this pandemic situation is far worse. Hourly workers will be especially hard hit financially if called back to work without free childcare. I don't have any solutions, but wonder what will happen as states re-open non-essential businesses. Ideas welcome!

 

[StarSong]

Some school systems are floating the idea of splitting the student body in half, each child attending classes on M-W-F one week, then T-TH the next. Over two weeks, the schools will be in session for the full ten days, but every child will have had only five days of in-class instruction.

Others are talking about half sessions. Some kids in the morning, some in the afternoon.

Still others have mentioned staggered starts so not all kids arrive or leave at the same time.

While these ideas will help with social distancing, they will be hellacious for families whose parent(s) work outside the home.

Like you, I've been wondering how these issues will be addressed.

 

[Em in Ohio]

Some school systems are floating the idea of splitting the student body in half, each child attending classes on M-W-F one week, then T-TH the next. Over two weeks, the schools will be in session for the full ten days, but every child will have had only five days of in-class instruction.

Others are talking about half sessions. Some kids in the morning, some in the afternoon.

Still others have mentioned staggered starts so not all kids arrive or leave at the same time.

While these ideas will help with social distancing, they will be hellacious for families whose parent(s) work outside the home.

Like you, I've been wondering how these issues will be addressed.

None of these will help single working parents - which means, I suppose, that they will be off the list of employed and completely dependent on the government welfare programs. I don't see how they can manage any other way. Hmm - if shifts were standardized in the US and synchronized with the hours that schools are open ... Say 8:30 am - 5:30 pm would cover school-time supervision M-F and give many parents time to get the kids to school and work 9 - 5. It's not perfect, but I am baffled and perplexed. Thank goodness I am not in charge!