Yes

by Sicily

Created on: June 25, 2008

Most people say that you can't put a price tag on your child's well being, and of course that's true. But what are you supposed to do when your child's day care expense is more than your bringing home. My husband works a great job 40 hours a week, overtime if he's given the opportunity, and yet I stay at home because we can not afford our living expenses plus day care. Well most people would say well make a few cut backs. Ok, yeah we've done that, but when there's a new baby around money is always tight. We spend roughly $100 just on diapers and formula every two weeks, that doesn't include clothes, wipes, and other necessities.
Most affordable "day-care" centers have 10-15 kids a room, and only 1-2 supervisors in each room, the ratio is not balanced. So at that point you're sacrificing your child's needs for a good deal. I know I would send my 4 month old daughter or even my 3 year old step-daughter to a day-care facility like that.
The higher ranked day care centers that use the term "child academy" or some other form of word play are to expensive. I recently looked at enrolling my daughter part time at one of these "academies" part time, so that I could work part time and its $700 dollars a day. I'm sorry but when you're working a job bringing home $7.50 and hour for 15 hours a week, my pay wouldn't even cover half of the daycare expense.
Then there is always a teenage girl who would love to watch your little one. Of course their cheap, but by the time you restock your refrigerator, and pay your phone bill, your back at square one. They aren't perfect, and most of them aren't responsible.
A nanny would be great to have around. You can trust that your child is getting complete attention, but without a background check do you really know that person. Nannies are very costly yet good at what they do.
Most states offer child care assistance through their YWMCA. But there are always guidelines, which most people don't meet. I know that personally in order for my family to meet those guidelines, my husband would have to work fewer hours, to make less money. Again people, you aren't getting anywhere.
My point is that even though you can't put a price tag on your child's well being, there needs to be more affordable child care, which offers good care for the average family. The most common problem is finding a place that's affordable, that you can trust. Sure I can find child care for my daughter, but I'm not going to let her be left in a dirt diaper for God knows how long.
For most parents it's hard enough for them to leave their children. Let alone leave them with someone they don't trust 100%. For each family it is different. Someone who has a lot of money can say Oh there's no reason I can't get a nanny or send my child to a kid academy. Of course not you have the money to spend. But other families like mine are kind of out of luck so to speak. I'm not complaining about being broke I'm just saying that even though there is affordable daycare for some families, and even single mothers can get help. The average American family cannot afford today's daycare prices, and make ends meet.

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