Jason
Primary parent needing flexibility
2020 wasn’t all bad for all people. In fact, for many, the pandemic year forced the turning of a new leaf. Jason is one example: he got sober and moved on from his marriage (during a pandemic)! See how KinderCare stood by him through two of life’s biggest challenges and gave him the flexibility he needed to step into 2021 surefooted.
"My name is Jason and my son is Kelly. Kelly just turned three in September.
I think that 2020 … I'll always remember it. It'll always have a place in my heart. It’s been my first year of sobriety. I've been sober now for 13 months and I've never felt better in my life. Me and my wife, or soon to be ex-wife, are splitting up. Yeah, it's tough but I've definitely never been happier … I can say that right now. I've really, this last year, really found myself. It's been a blessing.
"Being a single parent, it's hard to afford a kid full-time. KinderCare has been the greatest thing that's happened to me this year ... helping me out any way they can."
Going through a divorce and having split child care issues, I was already at the point of thinking: "Am I gonna have to leave my job to take care of my kid?" Because I had nowhere to take him. All these centers were shutting down. I have no family in the area.
Being a single parent, it's very hard to afford a kid full-time. KinderCare has been the greatest thing that's ever happened to me this year. They're helping me out any way they can which has been an absolute lifesaver for me.
And then COVID [was] kind of the second part of 2020 for me. It's been a struggle because being a single dad that has a majority of the time with my child—and working full time on top of it—it can be difficult at times, and it can be strenuous. But just to watch him grow as a little kid right now, to watch him develop mentally and physically, is so much fun. And I wouldn't give it up for the world.
I would say a distinct memory would be probably the first time he came to ‘Dad's place,’ and how excited he was to come inside. To lay him down in his own bedroom, in my own house, was one feeling I'll probably never forget in 2020. It's only looking up from here, for sure.
