{"id":13827,"date":"2020-03-17T11:51:55","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T18:51:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/?p=30000008344"},"modified":"2020-03-18T10:24:03","modified_gmt":"2020-03-18T17:24:03","slug":"parents-scramble-to-care-for-children-amid-school-closures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/parents-scramble-to-care-for-children-amid-school-closures","title":{"rendered":"Parents scramble to care for children amid school closures"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Cristina Calixto found out Friday that Long Beach Unified School District would close all schools through April 20, <\/b>she quickly scrambled, in-between tasks at work, to figure out where to place her son on such short notice, as well as what to do about her sister-in-law\u2019s three children for whom she helps provide care.<\/p>\n

The waiting room in the optometrist\u2019s office where Calixto, 32, works as a receptionist is not childproof, so bringing her 4-year-old to work isn\u2019t an option. Neither is taking unpaid leave.<\/p>\n

As a working mom, Calixto is used to the daily routine of picking her son up from preschool at John Muir Elementary and dropping him off at daycare so she can finish her shift, but with what she has in savings, she wouldn\u2019t last more than a month if she had to stay home to take care of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just not ideal,\u201d Calixto said. The break room where her son would stay isn\u2019t suitable for children and \u201che can only be entertained for so long, so I have to focus on work, but at the same time focus on having to constantly check on him to make sure he\u2019s OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Calixto\u2019s sister-in-law, also a single mother, was rushing to figure out how to find, and afford, another daycare center that would take her three kids, ages 11, 5 and 4, now home from Birney Elementary School.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Esquivel, 27, of Long Beach\u2019s Wrigley area, works in a warehouse distribution center that sells light fixtures to major companies. Qualifying as a low-income family, she said they are provided some support through Children\u2019s Home Society, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting families. Still, switching daycares through CHC isn\u2019t an overnight process.<\/p>\n

Though Elizabeth and her husband are separated, she says the boys\u2019 father has shown consistent support of all her children. But while he\u2019ll be taking care of them on some days, it will still be a struggle that the two working parents have never dealt with before.<\/p>\n

[easy-image-collage id=30000008345]<\/p>\n

Esquivel\u2019s middle child was in special education classes before the closures were announced. Now, she\u2019s concerned he\u2019s going to fall further behind his peers. He\u2019s progressed, she said, but without the proper instruction at school, Esquivel\u2019s worries are palpable.<\/p>\n

Having used the last few days of her vacation and sick leave that was left after a stay at Long Beach Memorial to treat a kidney infection, Esquivel was told by a supervisor that they may not be able to pay her after that, but that she\u2019d still have her job if she had to stay home with her children until April 20.<\/p>\n

She hopes she\u2019ll only have to be out of work for a week if she can find a place quickly. If not, she may stay home all five weeks, \u201cjust for their safety and the safety of others.\u201d<\/p>\n

As far as finances are concerned, Esquivel said she may be able to rely on a recent tax return and surmised over the phone, \u201cI have credit cards. If I have to run up my credit, I\u2019ll just go into debt because I have to put a roof over my kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jesse Valle, 35, a distiller at Portuguese Bend in Long Beach. Friday, March 13, 2020. Photo by Asia Morris.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jesse Valle, 35, a distiller at Portuguese Bend in Long Beach and a supervisor for UPS in Cerritos, said on Friday that he had learned that morning that his two daughters, in 1st and 5th Grade at Daniel Phelan Elementary in Whittier, would have to stay home from school for just three weeks until April 3 per Whittier City School District’s announcement. But, he said, even that feels like a long time.<\/p>\n

Luckily, his wife, Andrea, is a stay-at-home mom.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my wife told me, I was just like, wow that\u2019s a long time, and we just kind of sat there, like what would we do?\u201d Valle said. \u201cIt\u2019s an extended spring break, now if it\u2019s five, six weeks, like in Washington, that becomes an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Ralphs near the traffic circle just now. A woman walked by shaking her head saying, \u201cUnbelievable.\u201d Most of the produce, dairy and eggs out of stock too. Daiso was chill, though (they\u2019re out of hand sanitizer). pic.twitter.com\/MCUfvBwE1M<\/a><\/p>\n

— Asia Morris (@hugelandmass) March 14, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n