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Putting Together Your Child's School Closing Emergency Care Plan

Last week in Huntsville, Alabama, the H1N1 virus shut down three large school systems without warning for 2-7 days. With this unexpected event it made me realize the importance of having an emergency plan for your children in times like these.


Every parent must have a support system or plan when school unexpectedly closes for weather, illness, or any other emergency. Some parents have jobs that allow them to leave or work from home during time of emergency that affects their families, but many parents can not just walk off their job or stay home because the kids are out of school.

No matter what category you fit in, you should have a previous thought out plan to keep every thing moving smoothly with unsettled moments of avoidable chaos. Your plan should be detailed with the names and contact information of dependable people who are willing and able to help out in such an emergency.

Ideas

1. Speak with your employer and make arrangements for how this possibility will be handled. If a mutually agreed plan is in place beforehand, chances are things will proceed much more smoothly than had this step not be taken.

2. If you have dependable relatives or friends in the area have them on standby as back ups for picking up the kids or keeping the children.

3. Develop support groups at school, church or with neighbors.

4. If you are friends with the parents of one of your child's classmates or schoolmates develop cooperative arrangements and take turns where possible.

5. Make sure the school is notified according to their set school policy, (usually in writing), off all responsible adults who are allowed to remove your child from school on your behalf.