As Covid-19 sweeps through the nation with MA being the third biggest threat, businesses are now starting to reopen in phase 2. One business in particular is childcare. Childcare is needed in order for society to function and for people to go back to the workforce. Unfortunately, the newly revised minimal regulations for centers and home daycares needed to reopen are beyond limiting to the social and developmental growth of the children in our care.

Childcare providers and educators do what they do because of the overwhelming joy we get by seeing that light bulb click when they learn a pat-a-cake game or the laughter kids share with each other while playing dress up or watching the wheels in their heads turn while using fine motor skills on a sensory table. These important and fundamental activities are vital for a child’s development and overall happiness.

Our fear as providers is that having us open our doors too early with these new strict guidelines in place, it will drastically effect our businesses overall with parents not wanting to enroll over the summer months due to coronavirus fears.  These new regulations also pose the possibility of children being negatively effected psychologically, causing fear and anxiety without the use of their favorite toys, not being able to hug their friends, and being prohibited from using everyday items that are staples in a daycare all while social distancing.  Lastly, as providers and educators, we are forced to stifle our teaching methods.

As schools have closed and remote learning has taken over successfully, we ask that unless these new guidelines can be drastically scaled back to a more realistic approach, that all NON-emergency daycare centers remain closed until a more practical and safe plan is put in place.