Two years into this pandemic, and I'm wondering how parents in the Amarillo area are handling it when their kids have to go to quarantine, or do virtual learning. Judging from most of the people I've talked to, the strain of juggling work and impromptu quarantine is taking its toll on working parents.

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Whether Its Daycare or School, We're All Familiar With "Those" Messages

You'll get it in an email. Maybe you get yours via voicemail. I've even heard of text alerts being used.

The message simply states that there has been a positive Covid-19 case and if your child needs to quarantine, you'll be contacted directly. They ask that you not call, but instead wait to be called.

It's the most nerve-racking "Don't call us; we'll call you" ever. Why? Because immediately you start freaking out wondering how hard this is going to hit your next check.

What Do You Do When Your Kid Can't Go To School For A Week

By school, I mean school or daycare. What are you supposed to do? What can you do? Working from home, especially with small children, is damn near impossible. So do you just take the time off?

If you live in a two-income household, one of you is taking a punch to the paycheck. Hopefully you've got plenty stored away for this type of situation, or that second income is just so you have spending money.

I'm suspicious, though, that for most people the second income is more important than just having some extra dough.

If you look at someone who makes an hourly wage, and gets paid every week, they just lost a whole paycheck through no fault of their own. While many are fortunate enough to start a new year with paid time off already accrued, many aren't.

Is There Anything We Can Do? Is It Going To Hinge On Our Leaders?

Schools and daycare facilities have guidelines they have to follow. We should all know and understand that. It isn't often that they just grow a wild hair and start taking action autonomously, making decisions willy-nilly.

That being said, my frustration isn't with our educator or child care providers. My frustration is that two years into this, and we still haven't figured out what to do other than call parents and say "your kid can't come."

As we get through the winter months of 2022, I'm rooting for you working parents. I'm with you. Hopefully we can find a way soon to get this sorted out. We're on our second quarantine of 2022 already, and we're not even a month in.

Stay safe. Be healthy.

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