As the province holds its collective breath to hear what Wednesday’s provincial budget will bring, many parents in Newfoundland and Labrador will be paying close attention to see what’s in it for their kids.
Dara Barrett, a single mother of three, of St. John’s and Carla Stride, a single mother of four, of Carbonear, are both hoping Budget NL 2020 will give their children some hope for the future, especially after a distressing year in which COVID-19 turned our lives upside down.
“This year’s been so hard on everyone – adults and children. If we don’t get better mental-health support for our kids, it’s all going to all come crashing down,” said Barrett, who noted two of her children have anxiety and learning disabilities."
“We’re going through a horrible time …,” said Barrett, whose children are ages 16, 14 and 12. “The next five to 10 years are going to be wretched, but at least let’s make sure our kids have a decent province to live in.”
As parents of special-needs children, on top of the list for Barrett and Stride are improvements in school — ensuring children have help, both mentally and physically.
Barrett said there should be better mental health supports put in place in schools, as teachers and the few guidance counsellors can only handle so much.
“This year’s been so hard on everyone – adults and children. If we don’t get better mental-health support for our kids, it’s all going to all come crashing down,” said Barrett, who noted two of her children have anxiety and learning disabilities.
“There’s no reason why schools shouldn’t have enough psychologists to talk to the kids.
“With social media, bullying and now this pandemic, kids are facing so much more than what we faced as kids. I shut down my Facebook account because I can’t handle it. Imagine kids having to deal with this. They need more support than what they’re getting and it’s time government recognizes that.”
Barrett believes the province should stop focusing so much on oil and gas and focus on the real future — children.
“I really feel there’s not going to be a province left for my children if we don’t start investing in our future appropriately. And continuing to invest in oil and gas is not the way to do it,” said Barrett, who works for a software company.
“I don’t want people to lose jobs, but it’s a dying industry. It’s time we face that as a province. We have to stop relying on oil income. It’s a big reason why we’re in a deficit and it’s not going to get any better.”
Stride, a nurse who also instructs nursing students, said she’d like to see a contingency plan for child care put in place in the event the province sees a second wave of COVID-19.
“Two of my children have autoimmune disorders, so with all the guidelines, there needs to be a plan if parents have to stay home,” said Stride, whose children are ages 16, 13, 11 and 6. “That’s one of my big concerns. If one of my children gets ill and I can’t go to work, what are my options?”
Stride also noted her youngest child has Type 2 diabetes and while the province pays for an insulin pump, the cost of the Dexicom meter — a needle inserted underneath the skin for a period of time allowing diabetes patients finger-prick freedom — is not.
“That’s hundreds of dollars we’re paying out every year out of pocket …,” she said. “For little children to have their finger pricked five and six times a day, it’s difficult.”
“It’s unfair to the teachers who are already putting in an awful lot of work, especially with the pandemic, ensuring there’s hand washing and social distancing. They deserve help…"
Stride said teachers, who already have much more to deal with during the pandemic, should have more support for special-needs children. She said more student aids are needed to take some of the pressure off.
Stride said she had to hold a training session for her youngest child’s teachers to teach them how to check his blood sugars and monitor him throughout the day. It’s a lot to ask of teachers, who have so many other duties, she said.
She noted that while the teachers in her children’s school have been outstanding, they should have extra help.
“That’s anybody with special needs — autism, blindness. Teachers face all kinds of challenges, when they have classes of 28 and 29 children …, Stride said.
“It’s unfair to the teachers who are already putting in an awful lot of work, especially with the pandemic, ensuring there’s hand washing and social distancing. They deserve help…
“It all comes down to dollars and sense, but we’re talking about the health of our children here … and that should be a priority for our government.”
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