Julia - Parent

[Name changed at request of participant]

“My kids are 9 and 6. Before the pandemic we used school as childcare and my husband got out of work in time to get them off the bus. Now he's lost his job and we can't imagine a new job where he could have a schedule allowing him to get them off the bus as the new guy. Also the kids only going into school 2 days a week leaves the other 3 days impossible as well. Any new job he gets will probably not make much more money than childcare with schooling help would cost.”

What else should lawmakers and policymakers know about your childcare/early education needs, especially as we recover from the COVID-19 crisis?

“Families are all going to be struggling with kids not in school full time. I understand the purpose of school is not free childcare but that's what our society is used to and most families cannot afford to keep one parent home full time. Perhaps a special unemployment benefit for parents until schools can reopen fully would help keep the anxieties down and the economy afloat.”