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♪ >>> HI, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX," I'M DAVID CRUZ.

ON MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND, SHE'S THE BACKBONE OF EVERY HOUSEHOLD AND SHE DOES IT ALONE MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY.

WE'LL EXAMINE WHAT THE PANDEMIC YEAR HAS MEANT TO ONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS IN THE WORLD.

AND IF YOU'RE TAKING MOM OUT THIS WEEKEND, AND FRANKLY, IT'S THE LEAST YOU COULD DO, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO FIND A RESTAURANT TO ACCOMMODATE YOU?

WE'LL EXAMINE THE CLIMATE FOR SMALL BUSINESS THIS SPRING AND SUMMER.

ALL THAT IN A BIT BUT FIRST WE WANT TO GET THE LATEST ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE CORONAVIRUS.

WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME BACK TO "CHAT BOX" THE STATE'S HEALTH COMMISSIONER, JUDITH.

COMMISSIONER, WELCOME BACK.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, DAVID.

>> OPERATION JERSEY SUMMER, EXPANDED CAPACITY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, RELAXING RESTRICTIONS.

TO WHAT SPECIFIC METRIC DO WE OWE THESE NEW FREEDOMS?

>> THANKS FOR ASKING THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE SPECIFIC METRIC.

IT'S ACTUALLY A COMBINATION, SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER THEM.

THE FIRST THING IS THE TALLY SCORE, AND YOU CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND SEE THE TALLY SCORE.

THAT STANDS FOR COVID ACTIVITY LEVEL AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEPARATED OUT THE STATE INTO SIX REGIONS FOR THE C.A.L.

SCORE, NORTHERN WEST, SOUTHERN EAST AND SOUTHERN WEST.

THE C.A.L.I.

SCORE LOOKS AT CASES PER HUNDRED THOUSAND.

CASES OF COVID PER HUNDRED THOUSAND.

THE POSITIVITY PERCENT AND THEN WHAT WE CALL CLI, WHICH IS REALLY A VERY IMPORTANT INDICATOR.

IT'S COVID-LIKE ILLNESS IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS.

SO, ALL OF OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS IN NEW JERSEY HAVE A DIRECT FEED INTO OUR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CENTER, AND WE KNOW EVERY DAY, PEOPLE COMING INTO OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS WITH COVID-LIKE ILLNESS, FEVER, COUGH, PNEUMONIA, PERHAPS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE COVID.

AND WE PUT THAT TOGETHER, SO THE FIRST THING IS OUR COVID SCORE.

I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT JUST RECENTLY, THIS WEEK, WE MOVED FROM A HIGH ALERT COVID SCORE TO MODERATE, AND THAT'S THE FIRST INDICATION THAT THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER.

THEN, WE LOOK AT HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND THEN WE LOOK AT INTENSIVE CARE, HOW MANY PATIENTS ARE IN CRITICAL CARE.

TODAY, WE HAVE 306.

BUT 65% OF THEM ARE ON VENTILATORS.

THAT'S A PRETTY HIGH PERCENTAGE.

BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THE HOSPITAL SEEM TO STILL HAVE SEVERE DISEASE, SO OF COURSE WE LOOK AT DEATHS, AND OUR DEATHS IN NEW JERSEY ARE STILL HIGH.

THEY'RE STILL IN DOUBLE DIGITS.

SO AS ALL OF THE OTHER INDICATORS ARE IMPROVING AND COMING DOWN, WE STILL ARE VERY VIGILANT FOR SEVERE DISEASE AND DEATH.

AND THEN, THE LAST THING IS THE RATE OF TRANSMISSION, AND WE ALWAYS WANT THE RATE OF TRANSMISSION TO BE UNDER ONE.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE UNDER ONE.

WE'VE BEEN UNDER ONE FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS NOW, WHICH IS A GOOD INDICATOR.

>> THE STATE WAS AVERAGING ABOUT 120,000 VACCINATIONS A DAY, AND THAT'S DOWN TO 80,000 NOW.

YOU GOT VACCINATION SITES CLOSING BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP.

THIS IS A PRETTY BIG CONCERN, NO?

>> IT'S NOT UNEXPECTED.

WE KNEW AT SOME POINT THE DEMAND WOULD BE LESS THAN THE SUPPLY.

IN OTHER WORDS, IN THE BEGINNING, THE DEMAND WAS GREAT AND THE SUPPLY WAS LIMITED.

WE KNEW THE SUPPLY WAS GOING TO GO UP.

WE KNEW WE HAD 3.6 MILLION PEOPLE THAT HAD REGISTERED LIKE WITHIN 24 HOURS.

SO, WE KNEW THAT THE SUPPLY WOULD GO UP.

WE KNEW THE DEMAND WOULD FLATTEN OUT A BIT.

SO, IN THE BEGINNING, SINCE DECEMBER 15th, WE HAVE BEEN LASER FOCUSED ON WHAT WE CALL OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY.

NEW JERSEY IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT STATES.

WE'RE IN THE TOP FIVE IN TERMS OF GETTING DOSES INTO THE ARMS.

WE ARE NOW PIVOTING TO WHAT WE CALL STRATEGIC FOCUS, AND STRATEGIC FOCUS IS MORE COMPLEX, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO -- INTO VULNERABLE AND HARD TO REACH POPULATIONS, SO FOR ALL OF THE SITES THAT YOU SEE, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, CLOSED, THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING DEPLOYED CLOSER TO WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.

>> SO WOULDN'T IT HAVE MADE SENSE TO KIND OF DO IT IN REVERSE, TO GET INTO NEIGHBORHOODS, HARDER TO REACH PLACES, THE PEOPLE THAT WE KNEW WERE GOING TO BE HARDER TO REACH AND REACH OUT TO THEM FIRST AND ASSUME THAT ALL THE OTHERS WHO WERE KIND OF POSITIVELY PREDISPOSED TO GETTING THEIR SHOTS, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THE SPOT.

SHOULD WE HAVE GONE THE OPPOSITE WAY THAT WE DID?

>> WELL, WE WERE NOT -- WE WERE NOT IGNORING HARD TO REACH, YOU KNOW?

WE'VE, ALL ALONG, HAVE HAD POP-UPS IN URBAN CENTERS.

WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON EQUITY TO MAKE SURE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT WE ARE BRINGING VACCINE TO THEM.

WHAT WE KNOW BY OUR STATISTICS IS WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO IN THAT REGARD, SO IT WASN'T ONE OVER THE OTHER.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE COULD DO IN THE BEGINNING WAS GET AS MANY PEOPLE VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY, REMEMBER, OUR GOAL WAS TO PREVENT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY, AND SO PARTICULARLY, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DYING.

80% OF OUR DEATHS WERE IN THIS PLUS-65 AND OLDER, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT 87% OF THAT POPULATION HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

>> WHO IS NOT BEING VACCINATED?

I MEAN, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO STILL HAS THE SAME DOUBTS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THE VACCINES CAME TO MARKET, WHAT'S IN THEM, MRNA AND ALL THAT STUFF.

IF THE SCIENCE IS SO OVERWHELMING, WHY HAVEN'T WE BEEN ABLE TO PUNCTURE THE BUBBLES OF IGNORANCE THAT REMAIN OUT THERE?

>> THAT'S INTERESTING, CALLING IT A BUBBLE OF IGNORANCE.

WE'RE TRYING TO BE PRETTY NONJUDGMENTAL ABOUT VACCINE HESITANCY.

>> I MEANT THAT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THOSE FOLKS.

>> YEAH, I KNOW THAT, BUT THAT'S PART OF OUR MESSAGE, AND WE HAVE A MULTILINGUAL, MULTICHANNEL PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE RUNNING CONSTANTLY.

I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD OVER 150 STAKEHOLDER CALLS WITH 20,000 INDIVIDUALS, ANY ASSOCIATION THAT WANTS A CALL GETS A STAKEHOLDER CALL.

WE WELCOME THAT.

WE HAVE EXPERTS, OUR OWN STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST, DR. TAN.

WE HAVE DR. MEG FISHER FROM PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATION WORKING WITH US.

WE HAVE DR. EDDIE, FORMER STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST FROM -- WHO PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN THE VACCINE CENTER AT MERCK.

WE HAVE AMASSED A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CONSTANTLY TALKING AND HAVING MEETINGS AND TRYING TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND THE MYTHS, DISPELLING THE MYTHS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND LASTLY, WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON COVID FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND REALLY I GUESS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE BUT THERE ARE MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITIES LAID BARE BY THE PANDEMIC, OF COURSE, BUT CHRONIC NONETHELESS.

WHAT IS THE GENERAL STATE OF THE HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON, AND, I GUESS, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IS YOUR DEPARTMENT, AS IT'S PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED, READY TO HANDLE THAT TASK?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED, ONE, WE KNEW A LOT ABOUT, AND THAT'S THE WHOLE ISSUE OF THE INEQUITIES LAID BARE, YOU KNOW, JUST WERE ESCALATED WITH THE -- A PANDEMIC.

WE KNEW ABOUT HEALTH INEQUITIES, DISPARITIES.

WE KNEW ABOUT THAT.

IT'S JUST LAID BARE AND GOTTEN WORSE.

THE OTHER IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AND THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON ISOLATION, MENTAL WELLBEING OF OUR CHILDREN, THE INTERRUPTION IN EDUCATION AND THE IMPACT OF THAT, ON CHILD ABUSE, THE INCREASE IN -- OR I SHOULD SAY THE DECREASE IN CALLS TO OUR CHILD ABUSE LINES AND OUR CASES BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ARE NOT OUT IN THE PUBLIC.

THEY'RE NOT BEING SEEN BY THEIR TEACHERS AND THEIR COACHES.

THE ISOLATION IN LONG-TERM CARE FROM THE SHUTDOWNS.

WE'RE LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT SOCIALIZATION AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO INDIVIDUALS, AND I THINK THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT WE WILL SEE POST-PANDEMIC ARE GOING TO BE NEW WORK THAT WE'LL BE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES ON.

SO IMPORTANT.

AND THE PANDEMIC HAS JUST LAID BARE TO ALL OF THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT, LOTS OF WORK STILL TO COME.

HEALTH COMMISSIONER YJUDY PERSICHILLI, THANKS FOR TAKING TIME WITH US.

>> ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, DAVID, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> SO ALMOST ALL THE ARROWS ARE POINTING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WE HEAD INTO THE FIRST BIG WEEKEND OF THE SEASON.

THE WEATHER'S GOING TO BE TERRIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE STATE, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT THIS IS A BIG RESTAURANT WEEKEND, AND THE SUMMER IS GOING TO BE LIVE OR DIE FOR THOUSANDS OF RESTAURANTS AND RESTAURANTEURS WHO BARELY SURVIVED THIS PAST YEAR, SO ARE WE LIFTING RESTRICTIONS TOO LATE?

MICHELLE IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION.

MICHELLE, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

>> PLEASURE TO JOIN YOU TODAY.

>> SO, THE GOVERNOR IS GETTING GOOD GRADES FOR HIS HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC IN GENERAL, APPROVAL RATING NEAR 60%.

HOW'D HE DO IN YOUR MIND, AND HOW'S HE DOING?

>> WELL, THIS HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT CHALLENGE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

WE HAVE BEEN -- I USUALLY BELIEVE SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE, OKAY?

THAT IS A TERM I USE OFTEN.

I WILL SAY THAT WE -- THIS HAS BEEN TOO SLOW, AND WE HAVE REALLY BEEN THE LAST STATE LAGGING YET AGAIN.

WE WERE WAITING FOR NUMBERS WEEKS AND WEEKS AGO, WE'VE WHICH YOU SHALLED THE NUMBERS, OUR BUSINESSES HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO.

THEY'VE CHECKED THE SAFETY BOXES.

LET'S GET ROLLING HERE.

>> WHAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST FAILURE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION WHEN IT COMES TO STATE'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY?

>> I DON'T WANT TO SAY FAILURE BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS -- >> BECAUSE YOU CAN.

>> IT'S -- YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS?

IT'S JUST -- THE CONTINUING MOVING GOAL POSTS AND LACK OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FROM THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING, THE HIGHEST SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION, YOU KNOW?

IN THE BEGINNING, WE WERE TOLD, IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FLATTENING THE CURVE.

WE FLATTENED THE CURVE, OKAY?

AND THEN IT WAS ABOUT RATE OF TRANSMISSION, AND RATE OF TRANSMISSION WAS GOOD AND THAT WAS ABOUT HOSPITALIZATIONS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS WERE GOOD AND THEN IT WAS ABOUT VACCINES AND VACCINES WERE GOOD, AND YOU KNOW, THAT GOAL POST JUST KEPT MOVING.

>> THE GOVERNOR ALWAYS SAYS HE DOESN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE CRITICS, WHICH COULD MAKE ONE WONDER HOW MUCH HE LISTENS TO OR MAYBE WHO HE'S EVEN LISTENING TO IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

HOW HAVE THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION BEEN?

>> SO, I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY I LIKE TO BE FAIR THAT WHEN WE SEND INFORMATION, THE FRONT OFFICE IS RESPONSIVE.

THEY ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF OUR INFORMATION.

WE SEE SOME ACTIONS THAT ARE A RESULT OF THE THINGS THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR, BUT IN TERMS OF INTERACTIVE DISCUSSIONS, YOU KNOW, YES, DO FOLKS COME OUT TO OUR MEETINGS AND ENGAGE, BUT DO THEY TAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTUALLY ENGAGE US IN DISCUSSION?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD?

YEAH, LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

AND THAT PART IS ONE-WAY STREET.

SO, RESPONSIVE, YES, BUT REALLY ENGAGING?

YOU KNOW.

>> HAS THE GOVERNOR'S -- THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO ENCOURAGE AND FOSTER BUSINESS IN NEW JERSEY, HAVE THEY NOT HAD A STRONG LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE NJBIA?

>> SO, IN THE VERY BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD CONFERENCE CALLS TWICE A WEEK.

WE WERE ON CALLS TO DISCUSS ALL THE BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE GOVERNOR'S BUSINESS PEOPLE.

AND THEN IT'S LIKE, AS WE MOVED ALONG, AS WE ADVANCED MORE RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAYBE AS THEY AGREED TO DISAGREE WITH US WITH THINGS, THEN WHAT WAS STARTING TO HAPPEN IS, YOU KNOW, THOSE COMMUNICATIONS WERE DEFINITELY SEPARATING.

WE USED TO GET HEADS-UP ON THINGS.

AGAIN, NO HEADS-UP ON WHAT THE NEXT MOVE IN THIS STATE IS, NO PRE-CALL SAYING, BY THE WAY, YOU CAN EXPECT THIS FROM THE GOVERNOR NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER.

WE LEARNED IT IN THE PRESS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> SO, WE'RE HEARING NOW FROM SOME EMPLOYERS THAT THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T COMPETE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PAY.

THEY'RE SAYING THAT BECAUSE THE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE LAID OFF ARE GETTING SUCH GREAT GOVERNMENT BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE DECIDING TO STAY HOME.

DOESN'T IT SUGGEST IF THE GOVERNMENT IS PAYING BETTER THAN YOU ARE, SHOULDN'T YOU BE PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE?

>> LET'S BREAK THAT DOWN, DAVID.

NUMBER ONE, LET ME SAY, WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS RELATIVE TO MINIMUM WAGE.

THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY MORE DO BECAUSE THEY CAN.

THOSE WHO CAN'T DON'T MANDATE SOMETHING THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO BECAUSE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE TAKING AWAY JOBS.

AND YOU'RE TAKING BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS, RIGHT?

LET'S START WITH THE PREMISE THAT WE HAVE ONE-THIRD LESS BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY TODAY THAN WE DID IN JANUARY OF 2020.

NOW, LET'S LOOK AT THIS HIRING CRISIS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AND WHY DO WE HAVE IT.

YES, ONE REASON IS THAT THE FEDERAL STIMULUS AND THE EXTRA $300 IS VERY ATTRACTIVE.

BUT HOW IS IT THAT WE HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VACANT POSITIONS TODAY THAT WE CAN'T FILL AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE NATION?

HOW IS IT THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO ENFORCE AVAILABLE FOR WORK, ACTIVELY SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.

GOVERNOR SAID YESTERDAY IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, THEY'RE NOT ENFORCING ACTIVELY SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.

GOVERNOR SAID IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, THIS HIRING CRISIS IS A PASSING ISSUE BECAUSE THOSE BENEFITS ARE GOING TO COME TO AN END.

YOU KNOW WHEN THEY COME TO AN END, DAVID?

SEPTEMBER 2nd, AFTER TOURISM SEASON.

YOU WANT TO SEE THE TOURISM SEASON DECIMATED BECAUSE WE CAN'T HIRE A WORKFORCE?

THIS IS REAL.

WHAT ARE ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES AFFECTING THIS?

RESTRICTIONS ON CHILD CARE CENTER LICENSES.

WHO IS THE MOST DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED GROUP DURING COVID?

THE WORKING PARENTS AND EVEN MORE SO THE WORKING MOTHER.

WE HAVE LIMITATIONS AND REMAINING RESTRICTIONS ON CHILD CARE CENTER LICENSES THAT DO NOT ALLOW CHILD CARE CENTERS TO BE OPEN 100%.

THAT MEANS THAT KIDS ARE HOME WHO COULD BE IN THE CENTERS.

WE'RE OPENING THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BUT WE'RE NOT OPENING THE ABILITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE IN SAFE PLACES.

WE MUST TAKE CARE OF THAT.

WE MUST LIFT THOSE RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE CHILD CARE CENTERS RIGHT NOW.

>> ALL RIGHT, GREAT POINT THERE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION.

ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING ON.

THAT'S THE PERFECT TRANSITION FOR US THERE.

CHILD CARE IS ONE OF THE MAJOR STRESSORS FOR ANY MOM, BUT THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.

KELLY MOORE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.

DOCTOR, THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

>> THANK YOU.

IT'S NICE TO BE WITH YOU, DAVID.

>> SO YOU HAVE A 12, AN 8, AND A 4-YEAR-OLD SO WE COULD PROBABLY DO A CASE STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC YOURSELF, BUT TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST 14 MONTHS IN YOUR PRACTICE.

>> IT'S REALLY INTERESTING, THIS IS THE FIRST CASE I'VE HAD AS A PRACTITIONER WHERE I'M EXPERIENCING A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS MY CLIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING.

IT WAS A VERY BRAND-NEW, VERY ABRUPT CHANGE THAT WE ALL HAD TO GO THROUGH LAST YEAR, AND SO IN MY PRACTICE THAT I NOTICED OVER THE YEARS THAT INITIALLY THERE WAS KIND OF THE QUIET OF EVERYONE TRYING TO ADJUST TO WHAT'S GOING ON, AND AS THE YEAR WENT ON, A LOT OF THE MOMS THAT I WAS WORKING WITH AND CHILDREN I WAS WORKING WITH WERE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF ANXIETY, A LOT OF FEAR ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY, AND PLANS WOULD BE MADE AND THEN HAVE TO BE CHANGED, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE MOST PREDICTABLE I THINK WAS THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE UNPREDICTABLE.

A LOT OF FEARS ABOUT HOW TO HELP OUR CHILDREN FEEL SETTLED IN A VERY UNSETTLING WORLD, AND ALSO AS A PARENT, I EXPERIENCED THAT AS WELL.

SO IT WAS A LOT OF KIND OF PRACTICING WHAT I PREACHED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR LAST YEAR.

>> WE MENTIONED CHILD CARE OR MICHELE SIEKERKA DID OR THE LACK THEREOF, THAT THAT WAS A BIG STRESSOR.

THIS LEAVES A LOT OF MOMS HAVING TO DECIDE BETWEEN WORKING OR STAYING HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE KIDS WERE LEARNING REMOTELY AND STILL ARE, TO A GREAT EXTENT.

PARENTS, MOMS, FIND THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN TO BE TEACHER, I.T.

PROFESSIONALS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, STRESS, YOU'RE LUCKY IF THAT'S ALL YOU EXPERIENCED.

WHEN YOU TALK TO MOMS, WHAT DO THEY TELL YOU IN TERMS OF HOW THAT STRESS MANIFESTS ITSELF?

>> SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT MANY HATS THAT MOMS WEAR AND PRE-COVID, MOMS ALREADY OFTEN HAD THAT MOM GUILT.

YOU HEAR THAT TERM SO OFTEN AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT ANYTHING NEW BUT DEFINITELY DURING THE PANDEMIC AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING DURING 2020, THAT JUST EXACERBATED WHAT WAS ALREADY A PREEXISTING ISSUE, AND I THINK WHAT YOU SAW IS MOMS REALLY FEELING FRUSTRATED ABOUT HAVING TO MAKE A LOT OF TOUGH DECISIONS.

SO, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE MOMS THAT I WORKED WITH TALKED ABOUT FEELING, YOU KNOW, UPSET THAT THEY HAD TO -- OR RESENTFUL THAT THEY HAD TO FEEL LIKE THEY WERE MAKING CHOICES BETWEEN THEIR JOB AND BEING AT HOME OR FEELING A LITTLE BIT GUILTY ABOUT NOT FEELING LIKE THEY COULD GIVE 100% TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DUTIES THAT THEY HAD.

SO, NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE 100% AS A PARENT, NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE 100% AT WORK, FEELING LIKE THE DAY JUST WENT ON AND ON AND HAVING A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME BEING ABLE TO CREATE CLEAR BOUNDARIES IN THEIR TIME AND THEIR ROUTINE.

SO, AGAIN, JUST A LOT OF FRUSTRATION, CONFUSION, AND FEELING LIKE, AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING?

I THINK THAT'S A PERPETUAL QUESTION THAT MOTHERS HAVE, AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING AND HOW WILL THIS AFFECT MY FAMILY LATER?

>> AND THE OTHER THING IS, I MEAN, IF YOU'RE WORKING AT HOME, IT'S KIND OF HYPER-PARENTING THE KIDS BECAUSE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN SCHOOL, BUT THEY'RE IN THE LIVING ROOM AND WORK IS HOME AND HOME IS SCHOOL, AND YOU CAN'T GO TO A MOVIE AND YOU CAN'T HAVE FRIENDS OVER.

HOW DO YOU HELP MOMS DEAL WITH THAT PACE AND THAT INTENSITY?

WHAT ADVICE ARE YOU GIVING THEM?

>> SO, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT IS FIRST KIND OF CHECKING IN WITH YOURSELF, IDENTIFYING WHERE ARE MY STRUGGLES AND BEING ABLE TO JUST BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T MANAGE.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE ALWAYS TRY TO TALK ABOUT IS WHO IS IN YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM?

AND SO, THEY'RE RELYING ON FAMILY MEMBERS, YOUR PARTNER, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF RESEARCH WAS SHOWING THAT MOMS, EVEN IN A HOUSE WHERE THERE WAS A TWO-PARENT FAMILY, MOMS WERE FEELING MORE OF THE STRESS OF THE WORKLOAD, AND PART OF THAT IS THAT ONE THING WE SOMETIMES ARE NOT THE BEST AT AS MOMS IS ASKING FOR HELP, AND SO FRTRYIN TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES, MYSELF, MY CLIENTS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO FIND WAYS TO ASK FOR HELP AND TO BE AWARE OF WHERE THEIR LIMITS ARE AND SO DEFINITELY THAT'S ONE SUGGESTION.

SO YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM, KNOWING WHAT YOUR OWN LIMITS ARE, AND THEN ALSO SHOWING YOURSELF SOME GRACE AND KINDNESS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NO ONE HAD EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE, AND WE WERE LITERALLY LAYING THE PAVEMENT AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH IT.

THERE WAS NO ROAD MAP ON HOW TO DO THIS, AND SO I THINK JUST BEING -- GIVING YOURSELF SOME GRACE, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING PERFECTLY, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE DAYS WHERE YOUR CHILD ISN'T GOING TO GET ALL THE WORK DONE, BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR KIDS' SCHOOL, TRY TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS AND WHAT YOUR FAMILY'S CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, AND MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR YOUR FAMILY.

>> YOU KNOW, THINKING OF THE KIDS, I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I SAW MY MOM CRY, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP POOR AND SHE HAD LOST $90 THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR UTILITIES, YOU KNOW?

$90 WAS A LOT OF MONEY AND I STILL REMEMBER, TO THIS DAY, HOW TRAUMATIC IT WAS FOR ME TO SEE HER SO VULNERABLE, YOU KNOW?

KIDS FEEL THAT STUFF.

YOU MUST HEAR FROM KIDS WORRIED ABOUT THEIR MOMS, RIGHT?

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?

>> YEAH, SO, FOR OLDER KIDS, I THINK THE WAY YOU DEAL WITH THE CHILDREN IS REALLY BASED ON HOW OLD THEY ARE.

AND SO, OLDER KIDS, I THINK, CAN REALLY HANDLE HAVING THE TOUGHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THE PANDEMIC IS AFFECTING THEIR PARENTS, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS SUCH A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE AND I'M SURE MANY KIDS SAW THEIR PARENTS BREAK DOWN HERE AND THERE, BECAUSE YOU HAD THOSE MOMENTS OF JUST FEAR, AND IT WAS FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY ALL YEARLONG, AND SO FOR OLDER KIDS, I THINK THAT OPENS UP THE DOOR FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FACT THAT MOMS ARE HUMAN BE BEINGS TOO.

WE CAN'T ALWAYS WALK AROUND WITH AN "S" ON OUR CHEST LIKE WE'RE SUPERMAN OR SUPERWOMAN AND IT'S OKAY TO HAVE HUMAN MOMENTS BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO SEE US PROBLEM SOLVING SO I THINK FOR THOSE TIMES WHERE KIDS HAVE SEEN THEIR PARENTS REALLY BREAK DOWN, I'VE ENCOURAGED MY CLIENTS TO REALLY TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT HOW THEY'RE FEELING BUT ALSO INCLUDE THEM ON HOW EVERYONE'S PROBLEM SOLVING.

SO, WE'RE STAYING HOME SO WE CAN PROTECT THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY OR OUR FAMILY MEMBERS.

WE'RE WEARING OUR MASKS NOT JUST FOR OURSELVES BUT FOR OTHERS AND REALLY MAKING IT SOMETHING WHERE THEY CAN SEE THAT YOU'RE ALSO PROBLEM SOLVING, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME, YOU CAN ALSO STILL PROBLEM SOLVE AND WORK TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT THE PANDEMIC EXPOSED WAS HOW MUCH THE SAFETY NET IS FRAYED.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS NEED TO HEAR RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT MOMS ARE FACING?

>> I LOVE THIS QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR SO LONG, AND JUST AS THE HEALTH COMMISSIONER AND YOUR PREVIOUS GUEST JUST MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KNOWN THAT THERE'S BEEN ISSUES THAT HAVE MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR MOMS TO NOT ONLY STAY IN BUT BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE WORKFORCE IF THAT'S THEIR CHOICE.

SO I THINK WHAT THE PANDEMIC REALLY UNCOVERED IS ALL OF THE DISPARITIES AND ALL THE CHALLENGES AROUND CHILD CARE AND THE FACT THAT FOR MANY WOMEN, ISSUES AROUND AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE, ACCESS TO CHILD CARE, THE ABILITY TO HAVE JOBS WITH FLEXIBILITY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED THOSE THINGS.

AND SO, THE EXPECTATION -- MOMS CANNOT DO IT ALL AND I THINK FOR SO LONG, THAT'S BEEN THE FEELING, THAT WE CAN KIND OF DO ALL THESE THINGS WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT, AND IT'S GREAT TO HEAR ALL OF THE INITIATIVES THAT ARE HAPPENING RELATED TO PAID LEAVE AND LOOKING AT THE COST OF CHILD CARE AND MAKING IT AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.

THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT DO HELP MOMS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND BUILD THAT SAFETY NET THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE IF I KNOW THAT MY CHILD IS IN A SAFE PLACE AND I KNOW I CAN AFFORD TO TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE CARED FOR, THEN I CAN FOCUS ON WORK AND PROVIDING FOR MY FAMILY.

ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, I THINK, ADD TO THAT SENSE OF SUPPORT AND HELP TO DECREASE ANXIETY THAT JUST NATURALLY COMES WITH BEING A MOM.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.

>> ALL RIGHT, KELLY MOORE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT MOTHER'S DAY.

>> THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> THAT'S "CHAT BOX" FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS TO OUR OTHER GUESTS, JUDY PERSICHILLI AND MICHELE SIEKERKA.

I'D SAY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY MOM, ISABEL AND TO ALL THE MOMS, WE REALLY ARE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER,@DAVIDCRUZNJ, AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET MORE "CHAT BOX" PLUS OTHER GREAT CONTENT LIKE "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE," NJ BUSINESS BEAT AND NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS WITH BRIANA VANNOZZI.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FOR THE ENTIRE CREW OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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