Why it’s important to pay for child care, even when it’s closed

With or without a pandemic, child care is an essential service. Many families could not go to work. Doctors, firemen, police, grocery store workers, government employees and more. Let’s not forget that the first five years are incredibly important, as 90% of the brain develops during this time. Quality child care is crucial.

But during this unprecedented time, where families are laid off, on unemployment or working from home, child care costs might be the first thing families choose to cut.

Don’t do it.

But my child is staying home with me, you might say. Here’s why you should continue to pay your tuition.

Child Care isn’t a money maker

If you thought it was, I am here to dispel that myth. Truth is there is very little profit for centers. Taking care of children is a field that one has to be passionate about. No one goes into this field expecting to make a large paycheck at the end of each week. But, they do expect to make a difference in the lives of the children and families they work with.

Many centers charge tuition regardless of attendance. This is to hold your spot in the program. Centers have a certain capacity. When your child fills that spot, no one else can use it. This is why you pay for that spot.

The rules and expectations for child care is extensive. Quality is not cheap. The majority of centers want to provide the very best for their teachers, classrooms and children. They strive to provide quality care, great work environments and the best supplies. This all costs money.

Centers aren’t sitting on large savings accounts. Not even the big box ones. Most centers probably have between 2-3 weeks or 4-6 weeks they could survive on, at best. We are also learning that there is no insurance policy that will cover a pandemic. Some centers that have closed and experience “business interruption” don’t even have coverage.

Teachers and staff

It’s hard enough finding great staff without a pandemic. Many centers have teachers refusing to come to work. We are fortunate to have amazing teachers that want to not only want to work, but also maintain consistency for the children. It is important to all of us to keep things normal for the kids.

These teachers deserve to be paid (and more!). Not only are they providing care during a very scary time, but many are now creating virtual content. In order to help our families stay connected, teachers and administrators are taking the classroom and putting it online for children in quarantine. This is above and beyond a teacher’s normal job description.

Administrators are navigating through unprecedented waters. They are creating contingency plans, follow new state guidelines that change almost daily and ensuring the health and safety of children and staff. If you think you are stressed about finding toilet paper and milk, imagine finding it for 60 children or more.