Operating a child care center was never a big money-maker in the best of times, but running one during a pandemic is basically like taking a bunch of money and setting it on fire.

Arlean Cole, who runs a child care center called Arleans Little Treasures out of her home in Harvest, Alabama, says shes spending about $3,500 a month in overhead costs to stay open right now. Shes only bringing in about half that amount in tuition.

Only six of her usual 12 kids are still attending, and theyre only doing half-days. The ones coming in are the children of essential workers, and the rest are at home with parents who are teleworking and reluctant to send their kids to day care during a pandemic. Those parents are asking Cole to hold their spots, and theyre not paying her.

Cole is down to just one employee, from her usual three. The 44-year-old mother of six children, who has been running her own day care for seven years, isnt sure how much longer she can stay in business.

Its like Im working for free, Cole told HuffPost. I give myself two or three months. If it doesnt go back to what it was, Ill have to close down or drastically cut it to two or three kids.

She paused, then added, I cant survive on that.