continued on page 24

As Michigan’
s stay-at-home order 
lifts and businesses reopen, parents 
struggle with childcare.

Jews in the D

I

t’
s a catch-22 — COVID-19 style — for 
parents with young children. How do 
they go back to work as Michigan’
s 
stay-at-home order lifts and businesses, 
workplaces and restaurants re-open without 
someone to care for their children? 
There’
s no easy answer. Many camps, pre-
schools and day care facilities remain closed 
due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the 
limited options that are available, there’
s 
still a lot of uncertainty about what’
s safe. 
Having a babysitter come into the house is 
also a concern for many.
“The pandemic has created a tremendous 
challenge [for parents],
” says Joanna Cline 
of Novi. 
She would know. She is a mother of 
6-year-old triplets, two boys and a girl, who 
works in the childcare business. Cline is 
vice president of marketing and customer 
experience for the Novi-based Learning 
Care Group, the second largest childcare 
provider in the United States with 44 loca-
tions in Michigan and 900+ across the 
country. 
Several of their local facilities are open 
with strict guidelines in place including 
temperature screenings on arrival, rigorous 

cleaning and hand washing and masks 
required for staff.
“I have been fortunate to be able to work 
from home during the crisis,
” she says. 
“Learning Care Group is evaluating plans 
to reopen our Novi office and I do hope to 
work on-site again.
”
But Cline herself still does not know 

what she’
ll do. The triplets were enrolled in 
session 1 of day camp at the JCC, which has 
been canceled. She says the family has some 
“trusted caregivers.
” They are considering 
their options and hoping to make arrange-
ments that are meaningful for the children 
so they’
re not “just sitting around.
”

For the JCC’
s part, Assistant Executive 
Director Judy Loebl says they’
re watching 
the governor’
s guidelines closely for what’
s 
possible. 
“We’
re looking at whether we feel we can 
do things safely because, first and foremost, 
we’
re concerned about the health and safety 
of our staff and patrons,
” Loebl said. “It’
s 
heartbreaking because we know families 
need help. Everything is being talked about 
and everything is changing day by day.
”

GRANDPARENTS TO THE RESCUE
Rose Garber of Bloomfield Hills is a 
licensed master social worker who has been 
working from home part-time since the 
pandemic began. Her husband, Vadim, a 
web developer for Dominos Headquarters, 
also works from home. But they still need 
help with their 13-month-old son, Isaac, 
who requires constant attention. The day-
care he normally attends remains closed.
“I’
ll be working from home indefinitely 
using telehealth,
” Garber says. “My parents 
have been lifesavers. On the days I work, 
my mom comes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 
my dad helps out as well. I wouldn’
t be able 
to work without them. I tell them ‘
thank 
you’
 every day.
”
She says her parents “keep Isaac from 

22 | JUNE 18 • 2020 

Kids?
the

Who

Will Watch

ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Joanna Cline of Novi and her 
6-year-old triplets, Steven, 
Amaya and Sammy

COURTESY OF JOANNA CLINE

“We could be locked 
down and make
this the worst time
and be miserable —
or we could make
it the best of times.”

— RICHARD PARTRICH

