The COVID-19 public health crisis has underscored the essential nature of childcare for working parents, the larger workforce, and the economy. Childcare is important for children, and it is essential for working parents. Parents rely on childcare to help them enter, re-enter, or remain in the workforce, but access to affordable, quality childcare is hard to come by. Now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, families are experiencing additional challenges in finding childcare that meets their needs. We conducted two surveys, first in June then again in August, to examine the impact of COVID-19 on working parents.

The data to follow literally made my jaw drop to the floor- “this is America not a third world Country, right?”

• 50% of parents who have not yet returned to work cite childcare as the reason they have not returned.

• 75% of working parents currently have children staying at home with a parent during work hours.

• 60% of parents will need to change their current childcare arrangeemnt within the next year.

• The percentage of parents that anticipate needing to change their childcare arrangement in the next year, increased from 60% in June 2020 to 63% in August 2020.

That was August 2020, at the one year mark, I wonder what the statistics are? Family is what is most important, do not allow yourself to feel guilty to be a MomE- protect, nuture, and love a woman’s life work!