"A headache": schools closed, the struggle for working parents this Whit Monday

Whit Monday means a public holiday for many employees! But not all. Nearly 3 out of 10 French people work for this day of solidarity. The problem is, not everyone is necessarily affected, starting with schools and daycare centers, which will be closed.

A real headache for parents who are going to have to work. This is the case for Jérôme who had not anticipated a small detail concerning the care of his 4-year-old daughter , Léna: "I had forgotten that she did not have school." It was a colleague who informed him at the last minute: "I said to myself 'this is annoying indeed'."

Leaving her daughter with friends or finding an emergency nanny , the question is clear for Sabrina: "It's my mother who looks after her. Having the option of a granny babysitter means being one of the lucky ones and it's very practical."

Mathilde couldn't leave her son with family, so she deliberately started working from home to look after her 5-year-old son: "It requires a lot of logistics, it's a Chinese puzzle. You have to plan for coloring and definitely a cartoon to have an hour of peace and quiet."

Balancing teleworking and childcare is the real problem for Eric Chevée, vice-president of the Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CPME) : "We shouldn't be surprised that there is less activity in France on Whit Monday. It's just smoke and mirrors and it's a complication for businesses."

He recommends spreading participation in the solidarity day over the year with an additional 1 to 2 hours each week per employee.