Riverview mom and daycare operator says online learning delivers a double-whammy
CBC
The decision to keep kids at home for an additional two weeks is hitting Kaitie Brinston doubly hard.
As a single parent of a daughter in Grade 2, she'll be in charge of her daughter's education during that time. And as a licensed child-care provider, she will lose hundreds of dollars for every week school is closed.
"It's very, very challenging," said Brinston, who offers a twice-weekly preschool program for two- to four-year-olds, and an after-school program to school-age children.
Since she cannot mix the two age groups, she's had to cancel her preschool program to accommodate the families who now require full-day care for their school-age children.
But of the 12 families she normally cares for, only two children have signed up for daily full-time care. Brinston estimates her financial loss at about $2,000 per month.
She said she's not alone.
She's part of a private Facebook group of licensed child-care centres and estimated that about 30 per cent of them say they're considering shutting down.
"It's actually a giant mess," Brinston said.
On Dec. 31, Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy announced that the reopening of school would be delayed by one day — to Jan. 11 — so that teachers could prepare for the move to online learning, which will remain in place for at least two weeks and will be assessed weekly after that.
After she shut down her preschool group in favour of the school-aged children, Brinston said the majority decided not to pay for full-day care.
"So now I'm operating in the mornings for two different families and making about $20 from 8 to 1:30."
She also has to forgo another part-time job during school hours in order to provide care to the two after-school clients.
Brinston also has sympathy for parents who have to find extra money in their budget for full-time care. She estimates the difference between after-school and full-day care to be at least $15 per child per day.
"That's a huge increase. Huge," said Brinston.
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