Saturday, May 2, 2009

Closed Schools Leave Parents With Daycare Woes

NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 News) ―

With more North Texas schools closing because of the H1N1/swine flu outbreak -- many parents are left wondering what to do about childcare.

Even though many daycare centers across the metroplex are still taking kids, they want to stress that children shouldn't come if they're sick.

The Tarrant County Health Department made it clear, after closing the Fort Worth Independent School District, that kids should not be put in other group settings - like daycares.

Since the school closures, North Texas 'Nannies On the Go' locations have been swamped. "They [parents] don't want to take their kids to daycare or they are scared to take them to school but they still have things to do," said Becca Epps with Nannies On the Go.

Epps works as a nanny for the Brown family. "We've always been skeptical of daycares," explained BJ Brown; who said Epps was hired so their family could avoid situations like the one going on now.

Some parents, like Cristi Kanapkey, are looking to give a helping hand. "There has got to be a lot of parents out there that need help with their children," explained Kanapkey.

The North Texas mother is one of dozens of parents who has placed on posting on craigslist.com, offering to babysit children who are suddenly out of school.

Police advise adults going to a craigslist posting, or trying to find any babysitter, to thoroughly check out the individual they plan to leave their child with.CBS 11 News found a helpful website, that's run by a non-profit organization, that can't help in the search for quality childcare in your communities. Click here for a list of child care resource and referral agencies, on the Child Care Aware website.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is what I was worried about. If children are out of school then they play with their friends and go on errands with their mothers or nannies. So are they really being quarintined? Also, what about us nannies? Shouldn't we stay home and a parent nurse their child with the flu back to health? I don't want the swine flu either!

Anonymous said...

I don't want parents to lose their jobs but they need to stay home and take care of their own sick kids and not hire nannies or daycares care for children swine flu.

Anonymous said...

I think you are missing the point-
the point of schools closing is to help NOT spread Swine Flu- if the kids are not all together- germs will be contained.

It's hard to know what the correct info. is-
one one news report I heard it's getting really bad- on another I heard it's dropping off-
on another I heard many more are dyining-
on another- I heard everyone who had and took the drug is fine...

Media..they can never get their info. corrent!

However, it's always been my job as nanny to care for the kids if their school is closed-
or if their children are sick.
It's just an occupational hazard- and goes hand in hand with the job requirements.
In my past 8 years as a nanny, I've cared for many sick children, no big deal. Just wash your hands, wash things with warm soapy water, spray Lysol on the phone,door knobs, facets/light switches, etc. Change towels often/ and don't share with anyone who is sick. Change pillow covers of sick person each day. Get enough rest, and eat well/berries/chicken soup/OJ- are very good for this cause!. Having a healthy immune system is half the battle!