Rising Child Care Costs Crush Families, Dominate Election Concerns

Mill Valley, California – Despite her six-figure salary, Christina Parker struggles to make ends meet due to skyrocketing child care expenses. She's not alone, as many families across the U.S. face a child care crisis that's reshaping their lives and political priorities.

"I am working so hard and I have less than $100 in the bank," said Parker, 42. Her 2-year-old son's day care costs $3,000 monthly, matching her rent and leaving her with barely anything left. Next year, she'll enroll him in a pricier preschool, tacking on additional child care costs during her commute.

"I have a good job, but I am barely making it," Parker added.

Child care costs are soaring at twice the pace of inflation, devastating low- and middle-income families. The average cost of care for two children exceeds the average rent in all 50 states and the average mortgage in 45 states, according to a report by Child Care Aware of America.

Nearly 9 in 10 parents surveyed by Care.com said a candidate’s stance on child care will influence their vote in November. Parker, who signed a petition to prioritize child care in the presidential debate, was disappointed by the lack of focus on the issue.

Inflation and Child Care Drain Savings

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the already fragile child care industry. Even before the pandemic, half of Americans lived in "child care deserts." Parents now spend 24% of their household income on child care, with nearly half paying over $18,000 annually, according to Care.com.

To afford these costs, parents work multiple jobs, move closer to family, or go into debt. Over one-third drained 42% of their savings to pay for child care last year.

Barbara Grant Boneta’s $1,300 monthly child care bill in Austin, Texas, is half of what she paid in Washington, D.C., but still struggles to afford it. For Christine O'Hare Barringer, day care costs nearly $1,800 monthly, more than her mortgage and 20% of her family’s income.

“We’d love to have a second kid, but we can’t afford one right now,” said Barringer, 32, from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

More than half of women voters with children under 18 worry about affording child care, according to a KFF poll. Brenda Shields, a Republican state representative in Missouri, advocates for child care as infrastructure, noting that breakdowns cost states billions in economic activity.

Voters Seek Solutions from Candidates

Lisa Gray, 43, from Kansas City, Kansas, wants both presidential candidates to address the child care crisis. Child care for her youngest son is $22,000 annually, nearly 20% of her family’s income.

Eighty-nine percent of voters want candidates to have a plan for child care, with strong support across party lines, according to a First Five Years Fund poll. However, neither Donald Trump nor Kamala Harris has a comprehensive plan, says Javaid E. Siddiqi, CEO of the Hunt Institute.

Harris has pledged to increase the child tax credit and create a one-time $6,000 credit for newborns but hasn't detailed her plans. Trump, who doubled the child tax credit while in office, has not announced formal child care plans.

Disagreements on Solutions

Reshma Saujani, founder of Moms First, argues that child care isn’t getting enough attention. Gemma Hartley, a mother of three from Reno, Nevada, supports Harris's plan to reinstate the higher child tax credit.

However, Patrice Onwuka, 42, from Bowie, Maryland, prefers tax cuts to keep more money for child care. Kelsey Bolar, who is pregnant with twins, fears Harris’s administration could make the au pair program too expensive, citing a proposal that drew bipartisan pushback.

"It is frustrating to hear Vice President Kamala Harris out there on the campaign trail claiming to want to make child care more affordable for working families when her administration did the exact opposite with this proposal,” Bolar said.

The child care crisis remains a pressing issue with no easy solutions, significantly impacting families' lives and voting decisions.