‘We Got This’: Keeping Kids Safe Through Coronavirus Pandemic

WALLINGFORD, CT — At times during the new coronavirus pandemic, Tammy Smith says she feels like the weight of the world is on her shoulders and it's easy to understand why. Smith is executive director of the Wallingford Community Day Care Center and has been entrusted with caring for the children of essential workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

Gov. Ned Lamont issued the "Stay Safe, Stay Home" executive order March 20 that closed nonessential businesses. Child care programs remained open but with strict guidelines, including social distancing.

Wallingford Community Day Care Center at 80 Wharton Brook Dr. went from an enrollment of 135 children with an extended waiting list to 34 children with ages ranging from infants to 10 years old. They are accepting emergency workers and front-line staff children, according to Smith.

Smith has had to make gut-wrenching decisions, including furloughing half of her staff. The center currently has 18 employees, including office, kitchen and teaching staff.

"I’m not gonna lie, it’s stressful," Smith said. "These are decisions I never thought I would have to make and I come home with the weight of what seems like the world on my shoulders. My husband and kids are truly a blessing. They support everything. They know that the center staff and families are extended family, so to them they are also family."

Smith is the mother of two 15-year-olds and an 18-year-old. She said her daughters attended the day care when they were infants and have volunteered there on a regular basis.

When the coronavirus first started showing up in Connecticut, Smith said she didn’t panic and told her office assistant, "We got this."

"It’s OK, we are good," she said. "We are staying open even if it’s for 10 kids, even if I have to move my family in here and live here. We got this. The day I had to furlough the staff was probably the hardest day ever. I love these people they are like my family."

Those furloughed staff members saw the children at the center again in a car parade Tuesday as part of Teacher Appreciation Day.

"I cried when I met them at Lyman Hall for the parade," Smith said. "I cried because it just hit me all at once. That this was real, that these people that I furloughed still loved us and cared."

Social distancing with children

Smith said the state’s Office of Early Childhood has specific guidelines for child care services to accomplish social distancing. The classroom size can’t be more than 10 children and the groups can't interact with the other.

"This is very difficult for our preschool kids and siblings who are used to seeing each other outside during the day," Smith said. "Every child and adult must wash their hands and take their temperature when they come in."

If someone’s temperature is 100 degrees, the person can't enter the building. Smith said fortunately they haven’t had an issue with anyone’s temperature.

"It’s hard for us to not kiss a boo when a 3-year-old is crying and only wants you to kiss it and make it better," Smith said. "There are lots of air bubble kisses that you blow to them, and they have to pop it in the air and put it in their pocket or on their cheek. Keeping the kids separate is a totally different situation. We set up activities that are of high interest to the kids 6 feet away and we try to have them social distance, but it’s a little more complex than just saying stay away. We have an age range from 6 weeks to 10 years, so keeping 2-year-olds from hugging is near impossible. We have also been helping the school age kids with their work during the day. It’s difficult for many of the front-line staff, after a very long day to get in the amount of time needed for the school work, so we do a good portion with the children with the parents’ permission. We still offer the children breakfast, lunch and snack every day, and with help from the community, like the local ELKS club, have received donation of pantry-style groceries, so if needed, we can send groceries home with the families."

Staff members now wear face masks after Lamont signed an executive order that mandates face coverings in public when social distancing becomes impossible.

"I think it really, really hit us when we were mandated to wear masks," Smith said. "Like I said, it’s like family here, so we come home from home every day. When they said you must wear face masks, as much as we knew this was real, it really hit us hard. We were worried how the kids would feel, honestly they are very resilient and after a day, they didn’t ask us at all."

Smith said that staff members have also started getting the children from the cars so the parents don’t enter the building, and they have as little traffic as possible.

"We added extra cleanings during the day by staff as well," she said. "Child care centers have been teaching this forever, proper handwashing is crucial. Wash Wash Wash your hands that is a constant. Some other changes we started is Fun Friday. We are a NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) accredited center and believe in learning through play. We focus on education and although we continue that on Fridays, it’s more of a let loose day. One week it was luau day, another it was camping day. We try to let the kids let loose and have fun. We have also tried to be more of a presence on social media so we can stay in touch with our families that aren't here. We post science experiments, teachers virtual reading, and challenges."

Living in the 'new normal'

Smith said that adjusting to the "new normal" during the coronavirus pandemic has been easier when the kids are the priority.

"When you work with young children, and I and many of my co-workers have worked with young children for over 25 years, you learn to go with the flow, and so we go with the flow," Smith said. "It’s easy when the kids are your priority to adjust quickly. You know if you can’t adjust and be comfortable, the kids will see it and feel uneasy and unsafe. We live for our families and kids and this has never changed. Every day is new, every day brings a different challenge. But I look at it like every day is a new day to make a difference, every day I am able to wake up and find something positive in this world, and if I can’t find it, then I help make the change. To be honest it’s easy to see the positive in this life, even in a pandemic, when you work with children all you have to do is see their resilience, courage, love for life, compassion. All they have to do is give you a smile and you know it’s good."