Parents trying best to cope as teachers’ strike draws near

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – With just hours to go before a province-wide teachers’ strike, it seems most parents are ready to deal with the unexpected time off.

It’s creating frustration, but solutions are being found. Kids certainly know what they want to do.

“I guess I’ll be at home playing video games,” says Trevor Liang, a student at Sir William Van Horne Elementary in Vancouver.

For parents it’s a little tougher. Trevor’s dad, Frank, says his wife will take time off work.

“If it’s for three days I can afford it, but anything longer than that, it’s going to be hard,” he says.

Another parent, Samta Kumar, had to put in a vacation request.

“It’s a break from the whole routine,” she says. “We can’t go to work, we have to be with them at home, which naturally affects our work, too.”

Others are making arrangements with existing childcare providers, or will be looking to grandparents to lend a hand.

Port Moody parents angry with district

After some Port Moody parents voiced their concerns to News1130 that their children’s daycare would not be able to use Moody Elementary’s gymnasium during the strike, the Coquitlam School Board changed its mind.

Yesterday, the Coquitlam School Board said it needed the gym in case other parents decide to drop kids off at school despite the strike.

Today, Cheryl Quinton with the District says they will allow the daycares using Moody Elementary’s gymnasium to extend their hours during the strike. She admits there was a lot of pressure from parents.

Parents turning to social media

Vancouver’s newest social network is stepping up its efforts to help parents during the strike.

Ads for childcare are suddenly popping up on Ayoudo, a website for odd-job seekers and employers that came along four weeks ago — just in time for the walkout.

Co-founder Mike Tippett says it offers more security than Craigslist, because users must sign in using Facebook, and also more accountability, because users rate their experiences with each other, similar to the way it works on eBay.

“People will turn to services like this when they’re in a situation where they really, desperately need help, so this is clearly one of those times when people are willing to sign up for new services and try things that they wouldn’t have otherwise,” he says.

“In preparation for that we’re out there, and we’re actually recruiting nannies and caregivers and people who can step in and help solve that problem, so we’re putting the word out that people should sign up and we’re trying to bring in as many of those people as we can.”

You can sign up for an account at Ayoudo.com.

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