Windsor parents in search of child care after Ontario government announces extended March Break
Ontario is set to close all publicly funded schools for two weeks following March Break
Parents working full-time in Windsor are now looking for alternative child care arrangements after the provincial government announced it will be shutting down public schools for two weeks after March Break due to concerns about COVID-19.
Giovanna Longo, a mother of two young children, said finding accommodations will be challenging.
"I understand it from a parent's point of view. You don't want the kids to get sick or anybody else," she said. "As a full-time working parent, it's a little tough. All I can do is pray that the daycares are still open."
Three-week break from school
Other parents, including Vera Vanier, said they're fortunate to have family who can help.
"The grandparents are going to take [my daughter] for March Break because we're away. And after that, I have to work from home. But I also still have to work. So I'm probably going to be leaning on the grandparents to help out more to take off that load," she said.
Watch: Windsor parents react to school closures
Randy Primeau, a father of three, said the extended break will be manageable because his teenage children can help with taking care of his eight-year-old son.
"The extension of the March Break is like a new summer holiday for the kids. For me, as a parent, I don't even mind. Kids deserve a break. It's nice to know that we're not sending them to a breeding ground for disease. It obviously sucks I can't have the time off too, but it's all right," he said.
Schools will be closed from March 14 to April 5.