Intro: As children return to school in the “new normal” of virtual learning or rotating schedules, parents are left wondering how they will be able to work full time and support their families. The new rotating schedules and virtual learning are often not compatible with parents who have relied on their children being in school so they can work. Now that many children will be at home during working hours and will need assistance with their online instruction, parents are concerned about keeping their jobs and their insurance. Work-from-home parents are not faring much better, with constant guidance and direction required for their children to learn and complete their assignments.
Amidst the chaos and in a quest for a solution, families are turning to home-based childcare solutions as an alternative to crowded Daycare facilities. Home Rule Childcare is a fast-growing home-based childcare company offering parents in all 50 states the option to have their children cared for in their own homes. Home Rule offers much more than a typical babysitter. They also work with nanny-shares, allowing friends or neighbors to reduce childcare costs by sharing a caregiver, with the added benefit of socialization.
Our guest is Christy McGlothlin, founder and CEO of Home Rule, who joins us to discuss childcare options for parents to choose for this fall.
Q&A:
- Parents across the country have been juggling their kids and work since schools shut down in March due to Covid-19. Now many school systems are adopting hybrid or virtual learning schedules for the 2020-21 school year. How does this affect parents?
Answer: For parents who work away from home, they will need to find a childcare center and risk their child catching germs or find someone to watch their children in their home. And sometimes parents working from home will want care in their home so they can get their work done.
- What are parents’ primary frustrations in the search for childcare?
Answer: The wacky school schedules, and how they are subject to change at any time. Safety is a big factor of sending their children to crowded childcare centers. Even if a child they are exposed to isn’t manifesting symptoms, they are still exposed to whatever other germs that child may have picked up from all other children that came in contact with that child. That’s why in-home childcare will likely be the big new surge. Unfortunately, often when families look for in-home childcare, they usually end up on one of the popular sites that are merely databases that they have to weed through—kind of like a dating service site– in attempt to find someone they can trust. Not an easy task.
- Home Rule’s child caregivers are W-2 employees rather than the Uber-style 1099 contractor or nanny paid under-the-table. Why is that such a big deal?
Answer: The IRS has made clear that a child caregiver is considered a household employee, so legally, families who hire a babysitter need to become an employer and pay their employee’s taxes and workers comp. Having employees means having a greater measure of control and quality that cannot be achieved in the so-called ‘gig’ economy.
- What precautions is Home Rule taking to protect the children and families they care for?
Answer: We offer Background checks and other screening, training to our child caregiver workers, professional liability and workers comp insurance, and a customized plan for daily schedules with goals so kids have productive time and are not just watching cartoons. Included are detailed notes of a child’s day, with a new featured we are launching of an option for remote parental monitoring. We also provide masks for all of our employees.
- How may people reach you if they are interested in childcare services in their home?
Answer: They may contact us on our website at HomeRule.net
About Christy McGlothlin…
Christy McGlothlin is founder and CEO of Home Rule LLC, a homecare nursing and nanny service, a book author, and motion picture film producer.
Her movie “A Long Way Off” (Robert Davi) won numerous awards and was released in cinemas in 2014. “Unbridled” (Eric Roberts) was released in cinemas in 2019 and is currently viewable on Amazon Prime.
An author of two books on natural health, Christy was a professional model, and has seven children. Christy resides in North Carolina.
About Michelle O’Toole…
Michelle O’Toole is the Administrator of the Childcare Division of Home Rule.
She has years of experience working with children in both public and private schools.
Michelle is the author of the book, “Where is Thy Sting?,” a candid journal of experiences during breast cancer treatments. She is a mother of four and lives in Florida.
Home Rule website: https://www.HomeRule.net/
Home Rule Home Childcare web page: https://www.homerule.net/child-care
CONTACT: Jerry McGlothlin 919-437-0001 jerry@specialguests.com
More guests: https://specialguests.com/guests-topics/
