Student watches through a fence from the playground at Googols of Learning
The Pandemic Generation During this unprecedented time, child-care operations have taken a hit not only financially but also in enrollment, and our kids may pay the price. by Tara Trenary, photos by Steven Hertzog
My head is spinning. My friends’ heads are spinning. Parents’ heads all over the country are spinning. And they’re exhausted from playing multiple roles on a daily basis during this monthslong pandemic: teacher, playmate, wage earner, line cook, therapist, coach. And now, parents are faced with a situation not fathomed since 1918: How do we safely send our kids back out into a world still plagued by a virus we don’t fully understand? For some of us, the answer is clear: We do it because we have to. We have to put food on the table. We have to qualify for health insurance. We have to pay the bills. Already a challenge for some, quality, affordable child care has become more of a challenge in the face of COVID-19. 24
“Without a doubt, this [pandemic] has presented challenges for families trying to determine not only child care but transportation and homework assistance during these unprecedented times,” explains Reva Wywadis, executive director, Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas. This agency serves as the sole parent resource center for the state of Kansas, providing families from throughout the state child-care referrals and education about how to choose high-quality child care. She says the child-care industry operates on a shoestring budget, and the majority of child care across the country is provided by small businesses. “Many experts predict that as many as half of the current child-care facilities will not survive this pandemic financially and will not stay in business.”
