Coronavirus Gives Moms Extra Challenges

“Kids are going to fall behind so much,” said Daila Viteri. Ms. Viteri, a single mother, worries about the education of her nine-year-old, Elianna. “Their education is in our hands, and we are not qualified.”

The closure of New York City’s Public School System affected the lives of over one million students. With Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “New York State on Pause” executive order, parents struggle to balance parental and professional duties. The COVID-19 pandemic forced some parents to work from home, some into unemployment, and others to work long hours at essential businesses like hospitals, grocery stores, and banks.

Ms. Viteri cooperates with Elianna’s school, the Success Academy, on distance learning. She is considered a vital employee as an office manager at the Department of Education. Her sister stays with her daughter when she goes to work. “If I did not have my sister, I don’t know what I would do.”

Mothers across the nation with smaller children, like Viteri and me, face challenges during this pandemic. According to a national poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, women and parents of children under the age of 18 are most likely to report life disruption from coronavirus.

I work remotely for a wholesale toy company, Ogosport. Remote work started before the executive order to stay at home, but the challenges began when public schools closed. My college courses at The City College of New York moved online. My oldest daughter’s pre-school, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, closed. She’s at home now along with my one-year-old, Riley.

In addition to worrying about education and the adjustment to social distancing, some mothers worry about their job security. According to a survey from the City University of New York, 42 percent of people with families of two or more children reported household job losses compared to 27 percent of those with one child or less. I used my social media platform to reach out to mothers and gain more insight. I posted a short questionnaire about employment and job security.

Jasmine Gonzalez, a personal banker and mother of ten-year-old C.J., worries about losing her job. “Although I am working now because I am essential, I don’t know how long they will keep me,” said Gonzalez during our chat on Instagram.

Barline Damberville, a single mother of two-year-old Greyson, fears she’ll get laid off. Damberville works for Resorts World Casino in Queens. Governor Cuomo deemed it a non-essential business and sent workers home. She receives her last check on April 16 if business does not resume by then.

The moms and I are terrified of the infection. Viteri rides a bike to work to avoid public transportation and contact with others. Gonzalez purchased her own masks and gloves because her company did not supply them. Damberville’s son’s father is not allowed to visit because he has failed to practice social distancing. I wash my hands and put my clothes in the dirty laundry right after an errand run. 

Life has changed rapidly. “Our challenge is to make sure that transformation and that change is positive and not negative,” said Governor Cuomo at a news conference on April 1. We do not know how long this will last and if life will ever go back to normal, but we have to keep moving forward with strength and compassion.

*Featured image by Green Chameleon on Unsplash