WACO, TX — Restaurant workers and retail employees are returning to work, but many are struggling to find babysitters to watch their little ones.
“Like today we had new kids come back that have been registered waiting to come, They have to fill out the essential workers form. Its basically a form from the state that they have to fill out saying that they are classified as essential,” said Linda Taft.
Linda Taft, the Executive Director of Central Faith Child Development Center, says the center is still at only half of their normal enrollment.
“Percentage-wise I would say 25% came back, and then next week another 25% more, so they are slowly coming back,” said Taft.
The development center is only allowed to take in children of essential workers, and that makes it hard not only for the parents, but also the children.
“There whole world is upside down. They don’t get to come to school and they don’t get to see their friends, they don’t get to have fun,"said Taft.
Taft says they also miss structure.
“They miss that structure and routine. They have all that social time. The most important thing from 0 to 5 is social-emotional skills. That’s what they are learning and they are missing that at home,” said Taft.
Central Faith is hoping that phase two will allow all their little ones to come back, but until then they are already planning some arts and crafts for when everyone is back together.
There is still not a definite date known yet when child care centers can start accepting all children, but Governor Abbott started a Care.com initiative to workers receive childcare for their little ones.