Antranik Tavitian

Danielle Vernon-Carleton watches her step-son Jackson, 16, do a virtual physical therapy class as her daughter Bella, right, gets ready to go outside and her step-son Andrew, top, paces around on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Danielle had to resign from her job as a teacher after being denied paid time-off to help take care of her three step-sons who have autism and her daughter in first grade. The day "drags out, but I always try to look at the positives of thing," she said. While her family wasn't hit hard financially, she wishes for more advance for special needs families, because "there are families in this situations and they aren't teachers."

Bob Carleton checks historical facts for his son, Andrew, while Danielle Vernon-Carleton, right, tutors virtually and Connor Carleton, middle runs up the stairs on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Danielle was denied paid-time off from her school and made the tough decision to leave her job as a teacher. Bob's three sons have special needs and Danielle's daughter and nephew are both in the first grade. The would have had to hire two helpers for her to be able to keep working. "We talked and came to the conclusion 'we'll we don't really have a choice", Bob said referring to a conversation the two had before Danielle resigned.

Danielle Vernon-Carleton helps her step-son Jackson Carleton, 16, lift weights for a physical therapy class on Monday, March 7, 2021, in Troy. Danielle had to resign from her job as a teacher in order to help teach her three step-sons with special needs. "Jackson doesn't talk, but he cues and we communicate so that's been really rewarding because he's receptive he listens."

Danielle Vernon-Carleton speaks with Jackson's, 16, teacher about his progressing mobility on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Danielle doesn't have training for teaching kids with autism, but she's worked with Jackson's teachers to help give him a level of care similar to what he'd get in school.

Bob Carleton scratches Jackson's head as Connor, left, reads on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Bob is a history teacher at Ernest W. Seaholm High School where his three son's regularly attend in person school, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they've studied from home with the help of their step-mother, Danielle Vernon-Carleton who decided to resign from her job as a teacher to help teach the three boys with special needs and her daughter Bella.

Danielle Vernon-Carleton helps her step-son Jackson, 16, balance on a pillow during his online physical therapy exercises while her daughter Bella, 6, plays on a tablet on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Danielle had to resign from her job as a teacher after being denied paid time-off to help take care of her three step-sons who have autism and her daughter in first grade. "So really I am a teacher just not paid for it."

Andrew Carleton, 19, picks at paints chips on a wooden fence in his backyard on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Andrew, who's is diagnosed with autism, has moments of intense focus, according to his father, Bob Carleton.

Danielle Vernon-Carleton blows bubbles at her step-son Jackson Carleton, 16, to ease his emotions while he attends a virtual physical therapy class on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Danielle had to resign from her job as a teacher after being denied paid time-off to help take care of her three step-sons who have autism and her daughter in first grade. "Jackson doesn't talk, but he cues and we communicate so that's been really rewarding because he's receptive he listens," Danielle said.

Andrew Carleton, middle left, measures his height against his younger brother Connor's, middle right, on Andrew's nineteenth birthday on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Andrew, Connor and their brother, Jackson, right, all require special needs. Their step-mom, Danielle Vernon, second from left, had to quiet her job as a teacher to help the boys and her daughter, Bella, who's in the first grade. "This is a bad time and I don't want to say it's not, but when they grow up they're going to look back on this and say 'We were in first grade and your mom taught us and we did school together," she said. "This is a great time to build memories."

Bella Vernon, 6, runs through her front-yard on during her birthday celebrations on Monday, March 29, 2021, in Troy.

Connor Carleton, 16, right, plays with dolls with his step-sister Bella Vernon, 6, left, on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy. Connor and Bella make up stories and scenarios about each of the dolls and act them out between their online classes.

Danielle Vernon-Carleton, top left, kisses her daughter Bella Vernon, 6, while she eats Hawaiian pizza and breadsticks for her birthday on Monday, March 29, 2021, in Troy.

From left, Bella Vernon, 6, goes down a water slide as her mother Danielle, step-brother Jackson and Allena Mettes, Behavioral Technician at the Judson Center, cheer on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Troy.