Today I want to talk about the severe impacts that pandemic parenting while working have had on far too many of us. 1/

This is being framed as a women’s issue, and no doubt is having a disproportionate burden on many of my female colleagues. Huge shout out to @nature for publishing some actual data on this https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-020-0921-y 2/

It's critical that we not just formulate this as a women’s issue. I have seen many of my male colleagues stepping up and suffering under the stress of trying to manage an impossible situation. In some ways, this has been one of the most equalizing forces I’ve ever seen. 3/

Personally, I have been fortunate to have a partner who has embraced that role and decided to step back from work to care for the kids so I could continue my career. I’m blessed, but I’m still exhausted as I’ve never been before and my kids are suffering. 4/

The few weeks without my partner’s full time dedication, I would wake up at 4 AM for a 4 - 12 PM work day, trade off with the kids until 7, then pick up from 9PM - 1AM to hold down the fort at work. Many of my colleagues have been doing that for MONTHS on end. 5/

This lifestyle is unsustainable. It’s easy to say “figure it out”, “hire a nanny”, “put them in daycare”, etc. But, these aren’t necessarily babies for who nannies are sufficient stimulation. And, frankly, our kids are scared too. They need the extra TLC from their parents. 6/

Every parent I know who has found a childcare solution is facing daily panic attacks, waiting for the phone call home that COVID has broken out at their daycare center or their nanny has been exposed. 7/

It is wrong and immoral to be forcing parents to be weighing their childrens’ safety against economic pressures and artificial metrics of productivity that are required in many academic careers. We face a second period of parental leave, this needs to be respected as such. 8/

While everyone panicking about the fall school year, the writing is on the wall that this is only getting worse before it gets better. Many schools will be (appropriately) all virtual with higher academic standards (I.e., more parent engagement) than the chaos of spring. 9/

Yet, at the same time many parents are facing austerity measures at work and few salary compensations for what will likely cost well over $3K / month for sustainable private educational supports that will be essential for the fall. 10/

So, the question becomes what do we do about it? 11/

It’s disgusting that US leadership has not seized this opportunity to build additional school spaces that would allow for distancing and hire additional aides and teachers to reopen schools safely. This would be a huge economic boost and improve education for decades. 12/

Institutions of higher ed could play an important role in coordinating tutoring networks, offering creative internships through students in educational programs, and extending gifted and talented programs. The tuition could help offset what will be a tough year. 13/

Employers could help by subsidizing child care and tuition programs and coordinating families in grouped child care programming, which arguably we ALWAYS needed to thrive. 14/

Personally, I am hearing the complaints and utter exhaustion from parents, the screams of the politicians about the economy, but absolute silence from our professional leaders about this critical issue. 15/

We are at risk of an entire working generation burning out and an entire generation of kids suffering for lack of parental involvement over and above the emotional stress of a pandemic. 16/

I would encourage everyone following #WSDS to contribute their solutions and give a shout out to institutional programs that they see emerging to help. What solutions can we devise together through #scitwitter? 17/