The holiday season is upon us, bringing joy and celebration along with a major, often an unseen stressor for many families. When schools and daycares close for the winter break, finding temporary childcare becomes a daunting task, especially for those without family nearby to help. And, as many childcare centers do not prorate fees for days off, families end up paying double childcare costs, adding to an already hefty list of holiday expenses.

From scheduled to scrambled

As a mother of two and a leader of a company with many employees who have younger children, I can truly attest to the struggle of childcare during the holidays. I have a number of employees whose regular childcare arrangements are unavailable for 10 to 15 days in December and January, and while Upwards offers employer-sponsored childcare benefits, unlimited PTO, flexible schedules, and a remote-first policy to our employees, many working parents do not have those options.

Every year we see a spike in requests for nannies, babysitters and drop-in care on our platform right before Thanksgiving and until New Year. The same trend applies for backup care requests from employees whose companies offer childcare benefits through Upwards.