Fox Chapel Parent A Life Saver On Days When School's Cancelled
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Finding child care can be a real issue when school's cancelled, but parents still have to go to work.
But KDKA's Brenda Waters found that was not the case for some in the Fox Chapel School District.
For the second day in a row, school buses remained parked and working parents are fretting over what to do with their children.
But one local mother is the answer to their problems.
Shelly Marcussen is the mother of four children. On Friday – and other days when the Fox Chapel District is closed for weather – she's the go-to person for several other parents.
"With my job, I'm afforded to work from home on a day like today and a lot of other parents know that, friends of my children's friends," said Marcussen.
Marcussen, a real estate agent, opens her doors to friends.
"A lot of times I will get an extra one or two on a day like today," she said.
Marcussen had two extra children in addition to hers Friday, and three extra the day before. And it seems to be a good time for all, as the kids laugh, play and jump around.
When asked how she handles it, she says, "low expectations. Set the bar low, keep the stress down, let the house get a little messy, let them have fun. The hardest part is the noise, the running and the jumping, but you just have to let things go."
Marcussen's oldest child at home is 14-year-old Madison, also known as the assistant.
Marcussen says the parents are pretty grateful that she and her daughter help out. But she doesn't do it for that.
"I do it because I would want someone to do it for me," she said.
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