‘I Can’t Be Hands On Right Now.’ What It’s Like to Be a Childcare Provider During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Darlene Mount, 50, has been a childcare provider for more than 25 years. She is currently caring for the children of emergency personnel at the YMCA of Greater Monmouth County, New Jersey during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The state has the second-highest number of novel coronavirus cases and deaths in the U.S. Part of what I love about my job as a daycare provider during normal times is the fact that I can hug them, that I can give them that emotional support—because in essence, we’re like their second parents when they’re with us. I like to comfort them if they want to sit on my lap and talk to me. But because of COVID-19, I can’t be hands on right now. It’s very difficult, especially if they’re crying. Things are different in other ways, too. When the children are being dropped off, their parents can’t come into the building. They’re being dropped off with strange people they don’t know at first. They have to have their temperature taken, then they’re walked into a specific classroom they will stay in most of the day. I separate the room so each child has a specific play area that allows for social distancing. They also can only play with one toy at a time so we can disinfect it when they’re done. That’s hard for them because they want to share and they want to play with each other: they want to hug each other, and they want to run around with each other. And I have to tell them they can’t ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 Source Type: news