Daycare Centers

We talk to a Daycare operator in Hixson who talks about how they are adapting to the pandemic and why they don't require facemasks.

Centers are learning to adapt during the covid-19 pandemic.

News 12's bekah birdsall explains how one of them is easing parents' concerns.

"kids are super flexible and resiliant so something like this if you kind of keep everything normal kind of keep everything calm, they're going to stay calm."

Daycares across the world have either closed down during the covid-19 pandemic or found ways to adapt.

The daycare center at hixson first baptist church is one of those that have found ways to adapt.

And they're celebrating no covid-19 cases since their reopening in may.

"i attribute this sucess to one the lord watching out for us because there have been a lot of prayers for this center that we will stay healthy and safe.

Two, to having really great teachers."

Katie workman, the director for childhood development says while daycare has seen changes this summer, much of it still is the same routine.

"come in do some free play, have their circle times, snacks and lunches, and outside play.

What we have implemented is more handwashing, more availability to hand sanitizer.

Our teachers are doing cleaning rotations of their toys, so its things that the kids would not necessarily notice has been an addition to their day."

She explains the first few weeks were a little difficult especially for the younger ones.

And parents initially had their concerns when they first reopened in may and in june, when covid-19 cases started to spike.

"we just let them know what we're doing, all of our protocals that are in place and we've been really transparent.peo ple want to know in the morning, that their child is being looked after and loved on and that's always our mission."

She says a few of their procedures have changed due to the pandemic.

This includes taking staff and children's temperature when they come in.

"we're not making the kids wear masks that was one thing that we really talked about.

We just decided against it, for one, it freaks a lot of them out.

And for two, it just would be so difficult to get them to wear them all day, i mean you're talking about some of them are here nine, ten hours a day."

Katie says they've added 15 new families to their daycare as many have gotten back to work or had their previous daycare closed.

Reporting in hixson,