Navigating Single Parenthood Post-Pandemic

    "It was a lot to navigate through the virtual system and keep them on task with their work while trying to work to provide," - Khiana Spinner, Single Mother of Three Girls 

As Americans continue to adjust from last year's pandemic due to the COVID-19 virus many parents struggled to find the balance between work (whether essential or virtual) and childcare. Many single-parent households were left to figure out how to adjust to a new way of life with children in virtual learning or having to make the choice to send their children back to school. The New York Times did an article on several single parents navigating through these struggles and the adjustments that the pandemic brought on.

Childcare Director, Nicole Wright, provides childcare at First Steps Childcare (a local daycare in the Central Virginia area), says that she has seen a major decline in childcare needs for single parents in the area due to the layoffs that have taken place since the onsite of quarantine last year. She states that "before quarantine over half of my childcare base was to single mothers, but since quarantine, I only have one single mother that I provide care for." Nicole equates the lack of need to the fact that so many people have been laid off and are still unemployed coupled along with the uncertainty of the re-opening of schools. She says that most parents who were laid off just kept their children at home on virtual learning until they were able to find employment.
"I've encouraged my single parents who I provide care for to take their time and access the situation before making the decision to bring the kids back, they have to do what's best for their families. Some of the parents are only being offered part-time work which still won't help them make ends meet. How are they supposed to afford childcare and work part-time? They have to do what's best for their families," Nicole says.

Last year, amidst the pandemic, the US Census took a census on the percent of adults from the ages of 25 to 44 based on sex while having children and facing childcare issues. The census looked at the issue of childcare of women versus men from a twelve-week span correlating work with the issue of childcare balance. Women outeat men each week by almost 50% each week. Read the article here.

One essential health care worker who also happens to be a single mother, Khiana Spinner, says "I was fortunate to have my mother and sister to look after my girls while I went to work during the pandemic." Khiana has three school-aged girls who were all quarantined at home when schools closed in the Central Virginia area due to the pandemic. Her mother was laid off when the local restaurant that she worked at closed due to the pandemic. Her mother was able to step in and help her care for her daughters in August when the school year resumed virtually.

Since, October, the schools in the Central Virginia area have given parents the option to remain virtual or to come back to school on somewhat of a regulated schedule. Khiana was reluctant to send her children back to school but could no longer manage to keep them home learning virtually, "It was a lot to navigate through the virtual system and keep them on task with their work while trying to work to provide," she said. She feels that either way sending them back to school was risky but also feels a sense of confidence knowing that her girls will no longer suffer socially. She states, "the greatest effect that this pandemic had on my girls was the social deprivation that they faced by not being able to see their friends."

Even with the variables of work and childcare balance to consider as a single parent, there is still hope. According to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Governor Northam allotted $70 Million to expand access to childcare funding post-pandemic. This means that there will be more care available to essential workers as well as an incentive for providers to provide care. This will also mean that those who were affected financially will have a greater chance of receiving assistance. Check local state and county departments for more information or click here for the COVID-19 childcare resources guide for Virginia.

Antica Culina, the columnist for Nature Magazine, is also a single mother who had to navigate her way through the pandemic as well. She encourages other single parents in an article on how she managed to take the necessary time to cope with the stressors that come with the pandemic and to also get connected with other single parents who are experiencing the same challenges in a means for support. She also recommends asking for support from family and friends during this time.