The tragic deaths of three children on Monday serve as a sobering reminder about the dangers and risks children are exposed to, particularly during the July/August vacation period.
These challenges have been compounded by the closure of holiday camps and daycares because of the State of Emergency and Public Health Regulations in place to battle the spread of COVID-19.
On Monday, the five Burke children, ages three to 17, were home alone while their parents were at work a short distance away. Unfortunately, no one could have predicted the deadly disaster that eventually occurred.
But this incident sadly highlights the predicament parents and caregivers face daily.
Now more than ever, parents face the struggle of trying to determine how to safely care for their children and juggle the demands of work, when there are very few options.
Unlike times gone by, many parents are today reluctant and terrified to leave their young charges with neighbours, friends and even relatives.
The continuous arrests made by officers of the T&T Police Service’s Child Protection Unit of fathers, uncles, brothers and a long list of others - traditionally trusted to help with child-rearing - on sexual offence charges against children, show how perilous this too can be.
Instead, parents flirt with breaking the law and take the risk of leaving their children home alone, opting to periodically check in on their little ones, since taking them to work has been ruled out because of COVID-19.
However, other parents are forced to play Russian roulette with their children’s well-being and safety and leave them in the care of someone else.
All these incidents and scenarios highlight the urgent need for serious dialogue about child-care during COVID-19. It is clear that we may have to live with the virus for a while, as Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has indicated on numerous occasions.
But the safety and protection of the nation’s children remain of paramount concern.
With one more month of the vacation period to go, parents cannot afford to take any more chances with their precious charges and should no longer be made to weigh reporting to work -which translates to earning money to pay bills - or staying at home to look after their children.
It is a choice parents should not be making either now or at any point.
As more businesses and offices re-emerge after the lockdown and a decision remains outstanding on the physical reopening of schools, there must also be a resolution when it comes to childcare.
While Trinidad and Tobago has changed and grown over the years, the old adage of “it takes a village to raise a child” remains relevant and a reality for parents across the country.