How can we improve the childcare crisis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are very few ways to improve the childcare crisis. Young children need care and close supervision. They go to school around age 5. Until this time, you have to fork over money to pay for their care. The good news is that it’s for a short period of time.

Everyone thinks European parental leave is so great but really they are just paying women an extremely low wage to stay home with kids. The media or even Europeans talk about their “fully paid leave,” but rarely disclose that the max you can even get is $200-300 a week. Who wants to stay home for an entire year with a baby for $20k? This is a great deal if you were already planning to SAH, but it’s hardly a panacea and comical that American women are jealous of this benefit. No thanks.

You forgot the other aspect - job protection. I would have been thrilled for a year of job protection and $20k! Plus it's a long enough vacancy that they actually hire temps, which keeps coworkers from being as overwhelmed and gives entry level people more opportunities in my field. Sounds good!

This. I would have happily sacrificed most of my paycheck if I could have guaranteed my job after staying home with my kid for a year. I hated paying someone else to be with my baby just so I could keep my job, but I’d heard too many stories of SAHM’s struggling to return to work to risk quitting do I could have more time with my child.

You don’t need job protection like a European woman does. The US has an extremely flexible labor market. You could easily find a job like the one you left one year later. The truth is - it’s easier to stay home here and the average woman who quits her job to SAH doesn’t want to go back at one year. Whereas in many European countries it’s very hard to obtain a permanent job with benefits. Once you have that, you hold on for dear life and require job protection to step away to have kids. It’s truly very different here and in a good way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Free free free. I want everything for me. I am a parent and you owe me that .

Yee haw!

You actually do owe me. We have no future without children.

Did you go to public school, PP?

DP but nope we sure don't. Posting the same question in bad faith about public school over and over again doesn't change that, unfortunately.

It’s actually on point. We, as American taxpayers, fully fund public school education from k thru 12 for the betterment of our society. Those of us comparing public school with daycare are exactly on point. Why public school and not daycare? It’s outdated thinking to say education starts at five. Learning starts at birth.

It’s a very apt comparison, PP. Even if you don’t send your kids to public school, you’re still paying for it.

Yes, we are paying for it, and we are paying for ENOUGH. Pay for your own childcare.

That doesn’t make sense, PP, any more than “pay for your own child’s elementary school or high school”. 5 is totally arbitrary. We were able to hire a nanny and now our kids are in private school but I have no issue paying taxes for public education or accredited daycare. The country does better with educated kids.

Oh please shut up. America is built on a system of counties, small towns, and cities - all of which deploy their own education system and share out spending based on the decisions of a very local population. While County A may spend $2 billion a year and 55% of its tax base on the school system, County B may only elect to spend $100 million and 10% of its tax base. That is up to them and you. We are not obligated to spend more because you don't want to spend a DIME educating or providing resources for your own children from the moment they are born. The rest of American society did not decide to have your child, you did. You can stop spending so much on your vacation funds and instead allocate that to daycare like sane human beings. The entitlement is unreal.

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We could start by teaching people to live within their means.

Yes! It won’t happen, but YES.

What world do you live in? Daycare teachers make minimum wage. How do you live with that in DC? This is why we can’t keep daycare caregivers.

They aren’t talking about daycare workers. They’re talking about two parent families who think living in big houses in expensive neighborhoods, with multiple vacations a year, expensive extracurriculars, eating out regularly etc are necessities, so therefore they both HAVE to work full-time from the moment of their child’s birth to fund that lifestyle, thus they HAVE to pay for childcare, and then complain about the cost.

This. People don't want to live within their means. They want million dollar homes, European vacations every year and a massive SUV in the garage AND the government to subsidize their daycare expenses.

+1

[Anonymous]

Reading through this thread with my jaw dropping...anyhow, you do realize that daycare is very expensive and out of reach for many people right?

And-we have a pretty serious worker shortage, particularly in lower paying industries, right? Also in tech/specialized ones too.

Think...think about the correlation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are very few ways to improve the childcare crisis. Young children need care and close supervision. They go to school around age 5. Until this time, you have to fork over money to pay for their care. The good news is that it’s for a short period of time.

Everyone thinks European parental leave is so great but really they are just paying women an extremely low wage to stay home with kids. The media or even Europeans talk about their “fully paid leave,” but rarely disclose that the max you can even get is $200-300 a week. Who wants to stay home for an entire year with a baby for $20k? This is a great deal if you were already planning to SAH, but it’s hardly a panacea and comical that American women are jealous of this benefit. No thanks.

You forgot the other aspect - job protection. I would have been thrilled for a year of job protection and $20k! Plus it's a long enough vacancy that they actually hire temps, which keeps coworkers from being as overwhelmed and gives entry level people more opportunities in my field. Sounds good!

This. I would have happily sacrificed most of my paycheck if I could have guaranteed my job after staying home with my kid for a year. I hated paying someone else to be with my baby just so I could keep my job, but I’d heard too many stories of SAHM’s struggling to return to work to risk quitting do I could have more time with my child.

Employers are obligated to hold your job when out for pregnancy/maternity leave at a high cost to them. Why should they be forced to hold your job for you to have a year of paid vacation and, yes, it is a vacation no matter how much sleep you lose in the first months. The entitlement of women like you is beyond belief! Again, live within your means and you can live on one salary. I did it and so did millions of other women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do not live in a society that can afford to have one parent stay home for five years - there’s a labor shortage as it is. Further, the most important developmental time in a child’s life is the first five. We have to provide better daycares at subsidized cost for our young Americans. In thirty years, they will be driving the progress of our country.

Regulated daycare and preschool is a must after a full year of parental leave.

And I have two grown kids so no dog in this fight beyond wanting the USA to regain strength.

"Regain strength"

When did it have "strength" before? And at that time, was there regulated and daycare and preschool after a full year of parental leave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Free free free. I want everything for me. I am a parent and you owe me that .

Yee haw!

You actually do owe me. We have no future without children.

Did you go to public school, PP?

DP but nope we sure don't. Posting the same question in bad faith about public school over and over again doesn't change that, unfortunately.

It’s actually on point. We, as American taxpayers, fully fund public school education from k thru 12 for the betterment of our society. Those of us comparing public school with daycare are exactly on point. Why public school and not daycare? It’s outdated thinking to say education starts at five. Learning starts at birth.

It’s a very apt comparison, PP. Even if you don’t send your kids to public school, you’re still paying for it.

K is when academics start. Birth-5 is day care. Big difference.

except birth-3 is the prime developmental foundation period. wtf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We could start by teaching people to live within their means.

Yes! It won’t happen, but YES.

What world do you live in? Daycare teachers make minimum wage. How do you live with that in DC? This is why we can’t keep daycare caregivers.

They aren’t talking about daycare workers. They’re talking about two parent families who think living in big houses in expensive neighborhoods, with multiple vacations a year, expensive extracurriculars, eating out regularly etc are necessities, so therefore they both HAVE to work full-time from the moment of their child’s birth to fund that lifestyle, thus they HAVE to pay for childcare, and then complain about the cost.

This. People don't want to live within their means. They want million dollar homes, European vacations every year and a massive SUV in the garage AND the government to subsidize their daycare expenses.

We have a 400k house (only due to recent increase in prices), havent been on a vacation in years (never been to Europe, dont even have passports), 2 sedans years 2013 and 2012. Low-income -->175k dual-income HHI in DMV and other LCOL cities are what is being talked about for daycare subsidies. Lawyers who make 200k get maternity leave. Almost every single lawyer I know got at least 4 months paid. Teachers get nothing nor nurses- 2 of those make the combined HHI I referenced (usually closer to 125-150k combined).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want European type of child care, you have to pay more taxes. It’s called socialism. No free lunch.

Right. And realize that women will be expected to stay home for a year or more after each baby and men will be expected to take extended leave as well. And often this leave is at a very low wage unless your employer helps contribute.

They also accept a much higher cost of living and much smaller living quarters compared to income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We could start by teaching people to live within their means.

Yes! It won’t happen, but YES.

What world do you live in? Daycare teachers make minimum wage. How do you live with that in DC? This is why we can’t keep daycare caregivers.

They aren’t talking about daycare workers. They’re talking about two parent families who think living in big houses in expensive neighborhoods, with multiple vacations a year, expensive extracurriculars, eating out regularly etc are necessities, so therefore they both HAVE to work full-time from the moment of their child’s birth to fund that lifestyle, thus they HAVE to pay for childcare, and then complain about the cost.

This. People don't want to live within their means. They want million dollar homes, European vacations every year and a massive SUV in the garage AND the government to subsidize their daycare expenses.

We have a 400k house (only due to recent increase in prices), havent been on a vacation in years (never been to Europe, dont even have passports), 2 sedans years 2013 and 2012. Low-income -->175k dual-income HHI in DMV and other HCOL cities are what is being talked about for daycare subsidies. Lawyers who make 200k get maternity leave. Almost every single lawyer I know got at least 4 months paid. Teachers get nothing nor nurses- 2 of those make the combined HHI I referenced (usually closer to 125-150k combined).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Reading through this thread with my jaw dropping...anyhow, you do realize that daycare is very expensive and out of reach for many people right?

And-we have a pretty serious worker shortage, particularly in lower paying industries, right? Also in tech/specialized ones too.

Think...think about the correlation.

We have subsidies for low income. The rest of us end up being sah. If you cannot afford day care, don’t have kids or stop at one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We could start by teaching people to live within their means.

Yes! It won’t happen, but YES.

What world do you live in? Daycare teachers make minimum wage. How do you live with that in DC? This is why we can’t keep daycare caregivers.

They aren’t talking about daycare workers. They’re talking about two parent families who think living in big houses in expensive neighborhoods, with multiple vacations a year, expensive extracurriculars, eating out regularly etc are necessities, so therefore they both HAVE to work full-time from the moment of their child’s birth to fund that lifestyle, thus they HAVE to pay for childcare, and then complain about the cost.

This. People don't want to live within their means. They want million dollar homes, European vacations every year and a massive SUV in the garage AND the government to subsidize their daycare expenses.

We have a 400k house (only due to recent increase in prices), havent been on a vacation in years (never been to Europe, dont even have passports), 2 sedans years 2013 and 2012. Low-income -->175k dual-income HHI in DMV and other LCOL cities are what is being talked about for daycare subsidies. Lawyers who make 200k get maternity leave. Almost every single lawyer I know got at least 4 months paid. Teachers get nothing nor nurses- 2 of those make the combined HHI I referenced (usually closer to 125-150k combined).

I don’t know anyone who got paid employer leave outside normal sick and annual leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We could start by teaching people to live within their means.

Yes! It won’t happen, but YES.

What world do you live in? Daycare teachers make minimum wage. How do you live with that in DC? This is why we can’t keep daycare caregivers.

They aren’t talking about daycare workers. They’re talking about two parent families who think living in big houses in expensive neighborhoods, with multiple vacations a year, expensive extracurriculars, eating out regularly etc are necessities, so therefore they both HAVE to work full-time from the moment of their child’s birth to fund that lifestyle, thus they HAVE to pay for childcare, and then complain about the cost.

This. People don't want to live within their means. They want million dollar homes, European vacations every year and a massive SUV in the garage AND the government to subsidize their daycare expenses.

We have a 400k house (only due to recent increase in prices), havent been on a vacation in years (never been to Europe, dont even have passports), 2 sedans years 2013 and 2012. Low-income -->175k dual-income HHI in DMV and other LCOL cities are what is being talked about for daycare subsidies. Lawyers who make 200k get maternity leave. Almost every single lawyer I know got at least 4 months paid. Teachers get nothing nor nurses- 2 of those make the combined HHI I referenced (usually closer to 125-150k combined).

I don’t know anyone who got paid employer leave outside normal sick and annual leave.

$125k is not low income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Free free free. I want everything for me. I am a parent and you owe me that .

Yee haw!

You actually do owe me. We have no future without children.

Did you go to public school, PP?

DP but nope we sure don't. Posting the same question in bad faith about public school over and over again doesn't change that, unfortunately.

It’s actually on point. We, as American taxpayers, fully fund public school education from k thru 12 for the betterment of our society. Those of us comparing public school with daycare are exactly on point. Why public school and not daycare? It’s outdated thinking to say education starts at five. Learning starts at birth.

It’s a very apt comparison, PP. Even if you don’t send your kids to public school, you’re still paying for it.

K is when academics start. Birth-5 is day care. Big difference.

except birth-3 is the prime developmental foundation period. wtf.

You realize the government should not be raising your kids, you should.

[Anonymous]

Is there really a nanny shortage? If you put a post on care.com there are instantly about 25 replies. Weed out the fake ones and there are still a lot searching