Schools Closed

[Nancy5]

The schools in my area are closed for at least 2 weeks, maybe more.  I agree it’s a great idea but it also has drawbacks.  My best girlfriend’s daughter has 2 elementary age school kids.  Both she and her husband work full time.  She only gets 2 weeks vacation and doesn’t want to use them all up in March in case she needs more.  She and her husband are both taking 3 days off, my girlfriend (grandmother) is taking off 3 days, and I’ll take one day.  But what happens to kids who have only one parent to take off?

[jkhanson]

This is a huge dilemma for all parents.  Not only for couples, but as you mentioned single parents will really be in dilemma.  Also many kids depend on the free lunches.

[sfreeman8]

The passed the family leave bill late last night and other stuff to help parents, to the tune of $50 billion. They are encouraging working from home if possible. For kids that don't have breakfast or lunch, they can still get it in Philly schools but someone has to pick it up for the kids.  Any job that doesn't understand the problem with parents and kids doesn't deserve to have that worker, but I'm sure they'll all be understanding.

[aflyingmonkey]

In California -- specifically Los Angeles county in this case -- they have 40 child care facilities (I'm thinking at schools) opening for children that need a place to go & they feed them while the schools are closed, opened from 6am - 6pm.  Also a place the parent can go with their child if needed.  Might as well have left the schools opened IMHO. Los Angeles Unified School District employees are off for the next month, paid leave.

I heard that the Wuhan Virus relief bill contains paid family leave for parents to take care of their children during this emergency, up to 3 months. Hopefully that holds true.

[potluck6]

my grandson has 3 weeks off were in ca most schools are out for 2 weeks. luckily my daughter is a stay at home mom  but she has to deal with an 8yr old and a 17mn old . the us is going crazy over this c virus and so will my daughter  being home with her son who is really a sweet boy.

[aflyingmonkey]

my grandson has 3 weeks off were in ca most schools are out for 2 weeks. luckily my daughter is a stay at home mom  but she has to deal with an 8yr old and a 17mn old . the us is going crazy over this c virus and so will my daughter  being home with her son who is really a sweet boy.

Schools are out for a set amount of time PLUS it is going to be prolonged for Easter/Spring Break... my family members who are teachers are off for a month in Los Angeles, they're off until April 20th.  And that is for now, it may be extended out even longer.

Good luck to your daughter & managing two young kids while practicing social distancing & no where to go during this "lock down" ... that would be a definite challenge for sure.

[pkrahmer]

i am glad they are closing the schools at least for 2 weeks. However, this is very tough for working families with school age (not high school or college)  kids.I hope the government comes through with the relief they promised.
Hope everyone stays healthy and safe

[BATISTAGIRL663]

they are not having school but the schools are open for kids to come eat free meals ?? so why are schools closed ?? plus they said they are doing online schooling but are making them go to june 11??

[hawkeye3210]

Schools in my state are closed for the next 3 weeks, possibly more.

[timvolley]

I agree it will be hard for those that have small kinds in daycare while the parents work.

[aflyingmonkey]

they are not having school but the schools are open for kids to come eat free meals ?? so why are schools closed ?? plus they said they are doing online schooling but are making them go to june 11??

Our schools double as social service centers for hundred of thousands of poor students... perhaps that is why the schools are failing to educate students, they've become babysitters instead of educators.

[countrygirl12]

Schools in my county are not closed. Surrounding counties closed for one day for cleaning. Which was kind of stupid. If someone has it and they came back the next day what you done was a waste.  There are rumors they are going to close for a month but most of it is on Facebook which is unreliable.  People like to fear monger and are just starting rumors to freak people out. I do not see closing schools before you even have confirmed cases in your immediate county.

[countrygirl12]

The passed the family leave bill late last night and other stuff to help parents, to the tune of $50 billion. They are encouraging working from home if possible. For kids that don't have breakfast or lunch, they can still get it in Philly schools but someone has to pick it up for the kids.  Any job that doesn't understand the problem with parents and kids doesn't deserve to have that worker, but I'm sure they'll all be understanding.

lol   Businesses are in business to make money. People who do not understand that are usually drawing welfare and living off the government.  Business owners can't just pay people to stay home and watch their kids.  You had kids then you should have planned for how YOU would take care of them.  Not expect someone else to do it for you.  That planning should include who will watch them while you are working.  Things just keep getting in a bigger mess.  It scares me to think how this will all end.

I also want to scream every time I hear oh just work from home.  Most people in this country can not work from home.  Surveys are not a job and won't pay the bills.  You think they have been scarce in the past few months then wait until you have a few hundred thousand more people trying to "work from home" to make a few bucks.

[1imaginarygirl]

The passed the family leave bill late last night and other stuff to help parents, to the tune of $50 billion. They are encouraging working from home if possible. For kids that don't have breakfast or lunch, they can still get it in Philly schools but someone has to pick it up for the kids.  Any job that doesn't understand the problem with parents and kids doesn't deserve to have that worker, but I'm sure they'll all be understanding.

I also want to scream every time I hear oh just work from home.  Most people in this country can not work from home.  Surveys are not a job and won't pay the bills.  You think they have been scarce in the past few months then wait until you have a few hundred thousand more people trying to "work from home" to make a few bucks.

Why do you assume "working from home" can only mean taking surveys? Millions of people with real jobs work from home at least part of the time. People that have more hands-on manual jobs, like retail, medical and construction, obviously can't. But if you have an office job where you just sit at a computer all day, working from home is becoming a lot more commonplace. I went from working 100% in the office, to part time at home, to full time at home. All you really need is a laptop and an internet connection. You have meetings through video conferencing and chat on Skype. It's not much different than sitting in a cubicle all day at the office, except you don't have to drive in rush hour traffic.

[countrygirl12]

The passed the family leave bill late last night and other stuff to help parents, to the tune of $50 billion. They are encouraging working from home if possible. For kids that don't have breakfast or lunch, they can still get it in Philly schools but someone has to pick it up for the kids.  Any job that doesn't understand the problem with parents and kids doesn't deserve to have that worker, but I'm sure they'll all be understanding.

I also want to scream every time I hear oh just work from home.  Most people in this country can not work from home.  Surveys are not a job and won't pay the bills.  You think they have been scarce in the past few months then wait until you have a few hundred thousand more people trying to "work from home" to make a few bucks.

Why do you assume "working from home" can only mean taking surveys? Millions of people with real jobs work from home at least part of the time. People that have more hands-on manual jobs, like retail, medical and construction, obviously can't. But if you have an office job where you just sit at a computer all day, working from home is becoming a lot more commonplace. I went from working 100% in the office, to part time at home, to full time at home. All you really need is a laptop and an internet connection. You have meetings through video conferencing and chat on Skype. It's not much different than sitting in a cubicle all day at the office, except you don't have to drive in rush hour traffic.

Because it is reality.  A few years ago a neighbor was trying to get a co-worker fired from his job.  In the end she was fired.  She told me that her boss is "letting me download my work and I am working from home"  Uh - huh.  This was 20 years ago.  She was the front desk receptionist.  There was no way to do her job from home.  She greeted people who came in the office and answered the phones.

Yes, there are SOME jobs where you can work from home.  But MOST jobs are not that way.  Retail, restaurants, factory workers, police, fireman, healthcare, and the list goes on and on.  Office jobs do not run the country.  And from my experience the majority of people who say "oh I work from home" are drawing a government check and do surveys to make extra money and call that their job.  If I work for x Insurance company and I do get to work from home and somebody asked me where do you work  I would say I work for x Insurance company.  Not I work from home.  smh