Show more care for working parents

Naperville offers many positives for raising a family. However, in the past few years, I find it can be challenging for working families, especially during the cold days in January. As working parents, we need to provide daycare all year because schools close at 2:30 p.m. and there are few jobs that end at 2:30 p.m. Even if you could be home at 2:30, you would still need to provide back-up care as there are numerous days in which school is closed. When my child started school here two years ago, I had a hard time coming to terms with this ridiculous set-up. I have finally adjusted to the routine where my child gets picked up by the bus that takes her to the daycare after school. On Dec. 19, the school was closed due to "inclement weather," and I find that the daycare is closed, too. I lost a work day in the process. When the school was closed for two days in a row in January, which necessitated the day care closing, I had to stay home and wonder if I will have a job to go back to. As absurd as this may sound, I now have to plan to have a back up to the back up care for the times when school may be closed. I am so relieved that spring is on the way and the chance of a snow day is months away. I hope by that time I have all the back-ups in place, as I have not much hope that Naperville schools or day cares will take into consideration the needs of working parents.

Gillian Albuquerque

Naperville