Anonymous wrote:It’s clear this will not be a few weeks, but months now that schools are closed through the end of the year. We’ve been hesitant to travel North to stay with family because grandparents are in the high risk group due to age. We have 2 kids (15mos, 4yo) and both work FT. It’s not sustainable to have flexible hours and both kids home for months. Our employers are being great right now but it won’t last forever. How are others handling the decision to sink or swim? The drive to family is 8hrs which we could do overnight to minimize our stops since the kids will sleep. I’m worried about the risk of traveling and I’m worried about how to make it work without any help.
Our rationale for family help vs hiring help here is that we would all stay put at the family members house vs hiring a nanny who would be at free will after being in our home or whom lives with others who cannot or are not staying home. We don’t have a home that’s set up to support an au pair situation.
Pros and cons either way?
I would go to your family, assuming you’ve been really good quarantining yourselves up until now. If not, wait two weeks and then go. Mental health is important too and you’re right, it is not sustainable. I’m sure the grandparents and grandkids will have fun together as well.
This is just one of many cases where having tests readily available would help in eliminating the uncertainty and worry. But regardless, you should still do it.