AUSTIN, Texas — With schools going virtual, a lot of Central Texas parents are struggling with where to send their kids during the day while they go to work.
Working to keep food on the table while making sure the kids keep their laptops open, Alex Solano is a single mom with two daughters.
"There isn't anything out there, so I've had to call different high school students around, family friends," she said.
Both of her daughters have special needs, and she said finding quality childcare while she works at the pharmacy has been a struggle.
"I have unique needs where my kids can't be in all the Zoom classes, we have a different schedule," said Solano
Dr. Joan Altobelli, vice president of licensed child care with YMCA of Austin, said they've had a recent surplus of calls from parents in need of help during the day.
"We have the 5,000 that we already had asking if they still have a spot," said Dr. Altobelli. "The parents are absolutely frantic, many people can't work from home, their job is hands-on, they have to be at the location."
At nine different locations, children will be supervised in small groups with a child development leader to help support with virtual learning.
"I've been working 24/7 with my team to get this set up and make sure it's fun for the kids. We had a little girl tell us, 'I got up at 3 a.m. because I was so excited to come see my friends," said Dr. Altobelli
Altobelli said the YMCA of Austin still has availability. Click here to learn more.
Other local daycares offering virtual learning support include Stepping Stone and Children's Lighthouse.
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