Ashton Odom

COVID-19 Impact Statement

Application I.D.- A0008948352

This impact statement is being submitted to inform whomever

it may concern of the workload, performance, and trajectory of
Ashton Odom while working as a self-employed caregiver before,
during, and currently/after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the onset of coronavirus I had a my daily workload
consisted of caring for 4 children ranging in age from 1-4. My
workday began at 8 a.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m. Monday thru
Saturday. This includes but is not limited to:

 Cooking two meals a day and serving one snack. As well as

preparing and feeding 3 bottles daily for 1 child.

 Any and all diaper changes, potty training, and bathroom

breaks.

 Overseeing and encouraging daily physical activity.

 Daily cleaning and sanitizing of all surfaces and areas inside of

home. Sanitizing done 3 times daily.

During the start of the pandemic my workload increased to a

level beyond my capabilities nearly overnight. I went from caring for
4 children during the day to 7. My older 2 kids were now home due
to school closure. My youngest was now home due to the
permanent closure of my aunts daycare during the pandemic. The
effects of this doubled my workload. My two older children were
sent home with a packet containing 3 months worth of schoolwork
and a letter to parents explaining that virtual school was in the
near future, and Wi-Fi would be needed. This left me with family
responsibilities that required my time and attention. The other 5
children made schoolwork nearly impossible to focus on. Within a
week the two mothers I was providing childcare for also became
unemployed due to COVID related circumstances, and decided to
keep their children home to ensure their health and safety. At that
point I no longer had a self-employment workload.
My performance before the pandemic was as needed. I had
a schedule that was simple to keep, and a routine that was easy
for the kids to remember. These two aspects made for optimal
performance.
During the onset of COVID-19 my performance quickly
diminished. I experienced disruptions and reduced productivity
due to intensified caregiving/parenting. I suffered from mental
unwellness caused by sudden increased fear of germs/illness,
sudden financial stress, and from the many sacrifices having to
be made. All these circumstances combined caused my
performance to be limited.
My current performance is still dwindling even as my
workload is now only tending to my home and children. I can
only pray for relief as most of our bills are at shut off levels, Wi-Fi
being mandatory for schooling, and more coronavirus cases still
being diagnosed daily.
Some of the factors effecting my trajectory were/are steady
decrease in wages until wages were nonexistent. A large part of my
financial means came from my grandfather whom I cared for. His
passing in August 2020 left me responsible for my half of the bills,
plus the half he paid. There was also an increase in expenditures
for increased food consumption by my children being home 24/7,
increased need for antibacterial products and P.P.E., and the
addition of Wi-Fi.
My trajectory prior to the pandemic would have been $14,400
had I been able to work an entire year. After the nationwide
quarantine began my trajectory was reduced to zero due to loss of
self-employment. My current trajectory is still at zero because of the
severe drop in number of families hiring caregivers at this time, the
fear of taking my infant into public while I search for employment,
and the inability to pay for child care if I were to find such a job.

______________________ __________________
Notary’s Signature Date