LONDON, ONT. -- Single mom of three Stephanie Cipolla says she’s beyond worried about how she will juggle work and having her kids at home in September if part time school is implemented.
“I think a lot of people are going to be in that position where they will be choosing between their job and their children because there is really no other option.”
Cipolla who works two jobs in order to provide for her family says she can’t quit her job to be home with the kids.
“I’m like up at night kinda trying to figure out every possible scenario like if they go these days and split them up what will I do? So I’m driving myself crazy trying to think of every possible outcome.”
She’s not alone.
Bakery shop owner of Laurie’s Cookies, Laurie Butterworth, has four kids. Three of her kids are school age and her youngest is a toddler. She says she’s worried about what work and family life is going to look like in just under two months
“It’s pretty, pretty scary to think it’s all unknown right now,” says Butterworth.
Her bakery business already took a blow when the pandemic hit and now she’s working with reduced hours and can’t afford to scale back any further.
“With the school and staggered schedules it’s going to be fewer days working, it’s going to be shorter hours, so it will be more of a struggle I think.”
It’s an issue plaguing tens of thousands of working families and was addressed by London West MPP Peggy Sattler in the Legislature earlier this week.
“Speaker, does this minister think that forcing people to quit their jobs because they can’t find childcare, will do anything to help Ontario’s economic recovery?” said Sattler during question period.
Sattler along with the NDP party have been asking the government to come up with either a childcare plan for school aged kids for the fall, or work towards full time a school for everyone.
“It’s a real disaster that the government has announced this return to school without putting the plans and thought of how to accommodate the child care needs for families,” says Sattler.
Meanwhile, both Cipolla and Butterworth say if they have to find childcare on the days their kids aren’t in school, they don’t even know if they can afford it. They along with many other parents are hopeful the government comes up with a viable plan for families.
