Local daycares impacted by closing of schools due to freezing temperatures

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ELKHART, Ind -- Elkhart schools were shut down due to temperatures, leading to daycare centers to be on alert to extra kids at a moments notice.

While many daycare centers have seen an influx of children due to the cancellation of school.

"My reaction was ok we all gone have to pull together and it’s just making sure all the ratios in every classroom is at that ratio," said Owner & Director of Little Peoples Daycare Anita Williams.

One center says it’s had the opposite affect on them, mainly because of the system they have in place.

"The thing that I have in place and have had in place since day is that the parents on my contract have to let us know a half hour previous to their contracted arrival that they’re not going to be bringing their children. Which helps us to plan for our day so much better than it probably would if we had parents that just dropped in and they had no time," said owner of Barnes Playhouse Loretta Barnes.

During a time where staff shortages is an issue in every industry daycare centers are relied upon at a moments notice which isn’t always a good thing considering how many children are in daycare.

"Per day on an average full-time student we have probable between 40 to 45 children a day. That’s not including school age kids because they’re not here full-time. They’re the before and after care," said Williams.

Daycare owners say when you get bad weather, experience goes a long way in the business.

"In climate weather it gives them a little bit more time to come in but then if we find that we do need them here, they come in. Like I had one girl already scheduled yesterday to come in earlier than she normally does. So you know with the forecast the way it was I was able to make that adjustment just because of just being in the business that long and thinking and possibly having to have somebody in earlier so all of that play a part in it," said Barnes.

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