Read on Twitter
ALL OF THIS RIGHT HERE. https://twitter.com/amandalitman/status/1278658904164106240
FFCRA (which paid 2/3 of wages if you couldn't work due to COVID-related loss of childcare) was a nice step, but 2/3 is a significant pay cut for a lot of families and it only last 12 weeks. We're now 16 weeks into this thing with no end in sight.
One number I've heard is that 47% of working mothers are expected to leave the workforce, either due to lay offs or just because something has to give.
And we know these are issues that will hit women of color even harder.
But here's what families are dealing with:
They need to go into work and their children will do something? But what? Schools and camps and childcare isn't open.
They need to go into work and their children will do something? But what? Schools and camps and childcare isn't open.
Well, they can work from home!
I mean, not everyone can. But even if you can, working from home and taking care of your kids and helping with distance learning is not a long-range solution.
I mean, not everyone can. But even if you can, working from home and taking care of your kids and helping with distance learning is not a long-range solution.
I am routinely called out of meetings to change diapers and get snacks and deal with naptime or to mediate disputes.
Meanwhile, my kids are watching too much TV.
Meanwhile, my kids are watching too much TV.
People are being encouraged to work asynchronous schedules, like after kids go to bed.
Ok. My toddler goes to bed at 7pm. If I then start working my 8 hours, I'll be done at 3am. The toddler wakes up at 6am if I'm lucky.
Ok. My toddler goes to bed at 7pm. If I then start working my 8 hours, I'll be done at 3am. The toddler wakes up at 6am if I'm lucky.
What the hell are working parents supposed to do?
We can't keep working and handle distance learning and do younger child care without support.
But it's not safe to things to go back to what it was last year.
We can't keep working and handle distance learning and do younger child care without support.
But it's not safe to things to go back to what it was last year.
The best they can work for is flexible work-at-home schedules (which mean no sleep) or leave of absences (which mean no pay)
Neither of these are solutions that can last as long as this pandemic.
Neither of these are solutions that can last as long as this pandemic.
And more on this work-from-home thing... I WFH a bit before this thing hit. Working from home when I'm the only person in my house, or it's just me and my husband, is VERY DIFFERENT than working from home when the entire family is here.
In the before times, if there was no school, I would cancel my work-from-home day and go into work instead, because getting work done when everyone was home was so impossible.
Also, there is a lot of discourse around this article about how dads need to step up. And that's true.
But my husband is definitely doing his fair share of the work (more even) but he also has a job.
But my husband is definitely doing his fair share of the work (more even) but he also has a job.
There's just too much for two adults to handle in a 24-hour day.
Also worth mentioning-- just like this isn't normal work-from-home, this also isn't normal care-for-your-kids.
A lot of the stuff we used to do and people we used to see are closed which makes it harder on multiple levels.
A lot of the stuff we used to do and people we used to see are closed which makes it harder on multiple levels.
On one hand, our sure-fire adventures and things are no longer available.
On the other, there has been all this disruption to their routine. Older kids know exactly what COVID-19 is and what it does. The younger ones may not, but they know something is wrong.
On the other, there has been all this disruption to their routine. Older kids know exactly what COVID-19 is and what it does. The younger ones may not, but they know something is wrong.
Our kids are also scared and anxious and subsequently need so much more from their parents now. (And I get it, I also need a hug from my mom 80 times a day.)
Many are physically clingy, acting out, or regressing in some developments. Or all of the above.
Many are physically clingy, acting out, or regressing in some developments. Or all of the above.
Speaking of regressing... in March, there were a run of articles and posts about how potty and sleep regressions were totally normal as a response to younger children knowing something scary was happening.
For those who don't know, SLEEP REGRESSION is a dreaded time in a parents life when your kid who finally started sleeping through the night (or at least more of it) starts waking up more frequently.
So anyway, parents are working full time jobs from the dining room table while also caring for their kids. They're freaking out because they have to start reporting back to physical work, but there's no one to watch the kids. Government aid is running out. School's not opening.
AND NONE OF US HAVE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT IN MONTHS.
(At least we stopped with the articles about how we needed to look presentable and do our hair and make-up and wear our work clothes for zoom meetings?)
Seeing lots of other convos today pitting working parents against working non-parents and this thread isn't supposed to be about that. This sucks for everyone, and this is how it's sucking for a lot of working parents.
