School grounds are filling up at recess again as more students ditch virtual learning and return to brick-and-mortar classrooms. But for the many mothers who had to cut back on work during the pandemic as kids stayed home, back to school has not meant back to normal.
From sidelined businesses and lost income to night shifts and delayed health care, moms have paid a higher price during the pandemic.
Brandy Brager is one of them. The CEO of a five-person construction company, she used to be the kind of person who planned out a whole year ahead. Now, itâs day by day. âThe way I think about my career changed,â said Brager, whose 10- and 12-year-old sons went back to school in San Jose in late March almost full time. âI had to cut my salary. My business had to take a bit of the back seat.â