The Rest of the Story

On January 27 in ExchangeEveryDay we asked the question, "How is the omicron surge affecting you and your work?" What you told us was honest and brave and a reflection of the strength of heart that people who work in early care and education have. First, let us say, we hear you that it’s been harder now than at any other time since the pandemic began. We want to share many responses, so this is a little longer than most EEDs. We hope you stay with us to the end; there’s some hope coming.

But first, here’s a sampling of what you told us about challenges:

"We had different guidelines and confusion as to when a quarantine ended for a family member and when another family member’s quarantine started."
- Andrea, from Milwaukee, WI

"How do we get Early Childhood Educators to realize how vulnerable children are…?"
- Tammy, Fresno, CA

"Yes, hardest time indeed! I think mostly it’s psychological exhaustion…"
- Anne Mari, Encinitas, CA

"We are seeing more Covid cases than last fall or summer."
- Frances, Lenoir, NC

"My preschool is in its first year…This is a very difficult time to be in a new business."
- Cheryl, Bristol, RI

"The pandemic has laid bare the dysfunction of our present-day educational system."
- Catherine, Wichita, KS

"This has been one of the roughest patches yet. We have had to quarantine rooms every week."
- Renee, St. Louis, MO

"Stressful. Frustrating. Fear."
- Kelly, Harrisburg, PA

"One of the recurring questions I get, as an early childhood consultant and trainer is how to explain to young children the need to isolate/quarantine…"
- Veronica, Palm Beach, FL

So, take a minute and acknowledge that this truly is a very challenging time. Then, consider that it’s possible to do two things at once: 1. Be realistic about difficulty; 2. Look for hope.

So, here are some hopeful messages from many of you who responded:

"We can do this! We are needed and resilient."
- Alyssa, Nashville, TN

"The whole pandemic in general has done both good things and bad things for us at my work…On the good hand it has shown…just how essential we are."
- Andrea, Milwaukee, WI

"During the Covid pandemic our early education program has learned to pivot multiple times…Our team works cooperatively to make sure children and their families are put first, but at the same time recognizes staff and their potential work stress…Overall we are working together."
- Diana, Independence, MO

"All of us are faced with frustration and anger over things we can’t control….We need to acknowledge this anger and frustration so it won’t sneak over into anger at people and activities we can control. We can then channel that energy, most often, into doing something positive that will help real people, like ourselves."
- John, Charlottesville, VA

And here’s one positive outcome of the NPR broadcast we linked to on January 27: Early educators around the country are reporting that parents heard the story and are now sending cards and gifts to their children’s teachers, letting them know how much they are appreciated. Great. We are happy to hear that.

And just in case no one has told you recently…You are appreciated and very important!

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