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Child Day Care Now More Expensive Than College In Most States

Cecropia

Cecropia

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Of the 10 states with the most expensive infant day care averages, only one (Indiana) came in at under $10,000 a year. But when you consider that the median income for a single-mother family in Indiana is only $22,178, that means day care would take more than 44% out of a single mom's wallet.

"Families need child care in order to work," said Ollie M. Smith, Child Care Aware of America’s Interim Executive Director. "But, child care today is simply unaffordable for too many families. This is not a low income issue. Families at nearly every income -- except for the very wealthy -- struggle with the cost of child care."
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http://consumerist.com/2012/08/child-day-care-now-more-expensive-than-college-in-most-states.html

Considering the rate that tuitions are rising each year, this is pretty depressing. I have been working part time from home since our first child was born and they'll both be in school this fall, so maybe will pick up more hours or a second job... but I can say without a doubt that with our income (especially early in our marriage), I was pretty much "locked" into staying home for any children, whether I wanted to work or not. If we have a 3rd, it still makes the most financial sense for me to stay home.
 
The cost of daycare was the sole reason I quit working full time and became SAHM/WAHM.

Now I like it so much I don't want to go back to work, ever!

:lol:

There are subsidies for low-income child care. But it is very expensive.
 
I'm at a more affordable daycare and my annual bill for two kids is $18,512. I paid around $15,000/yr for my first. AHHH!!

I'm such a money worry wart that I'm not sure I'd be okay with one income... Would I get a another job if I took a break, no safety net if one person is laid off, college (yikes) and would we ever go on vacation again. Stresses me out! What bothers me more is school age... I don't want my kids at before and after care and I have a long commute. I'm not sure thE current set-up is feasible. Do I quit? Do I try to find part-time?
 
It sucks but it really makes you think about having kids.
 
When the kids were in daycare, they were at a very very inexpensive one at just over $13k/year. I was making $24k/yr, and paid almost $4k in gas for the commute. Still ahead of the game but that's a lot of work to be up only $8k.

Daycare costs SUCK!!!
 
Our school district offered full day kindergarten--I was shocked when told it cost 4,000 to send them--and there were huge lines waiting to sign up
When I asked why--they all said it was cheaper than day care. I was shocked
 
Our school district offers full day K and it costs nothing (except increased taxes & school budget). Daycare costs are the reason it was so overwhelmingly demanded by parents in our district.
 
kmjlovesjesus said:
Our school district offered full day kindergarten--I was shocked when told it cost 4,000 to send them--and there were huge lines waiting to sign up
When I asked why--they all said it was cheaper than day care. I was shocked
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There was no line at my school for the all-day kindergarten and we are in the same district as Kathy. The cost is for those who can afford to pay and to those who can't, it's free. Nobody at my school wanted to cover the cost for the others. I think about 40-50% of the kids in our district don't have to pay for the all-day kindergarten.

I don't get why they just didn't make it free for everyone in the district.
 
I watch kids out of my house ~ with some of your comments with the price off childcare it looks like I should be giving myself a raise ~ :giggles: I am alot lower than the prices that people have listed here for 2 kids in childcare
 
Child care prices are insane. It really does make sense to be DINK's until your 30's. That way you can save up money like crazy and your incomes will be greater than your early 20's. Then, living on a single income and being a SAHM(D) wouldn't be as painful. We are blessed that DH makes good money and that I can be a SAHM, but we do sacrifice and try to save money wherever possible. It seems as though there are less and less SAHM's these days. I wonder if it is because everyone has a higher standard of living or things are just that more expensive.
 
I can appreciate everyone's sentiments... but I still can't help but think people like Lauri don't make enough for what they do. She's responsible for the health and safety of other people's children every day. What's that worth? How do you cut the cost of child care and maintain or raise the quality of care?
 
Amen to that KG!

Lauri :hug:
 
If I had to guess, most of the cost of daycare goes to liability insurance and regulatory costs. Same reason medical costs are so high, and why the majority of medical workers are not paid relative to their worth either!

I vote for Lauri to get a big raise too!
 
KG said:
I can appreciate everyone's sentiments... but I still can't help but think people like Lauri don't make enough for what they do. She's responsible for the health and safety of other people's children every day. What's that worth? How do you cut the cost of child care and maintain or raise the quality of care?
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Not only is she responsible for them, she really truly cares about them. Lauri is wonderful and my kids adore her.

If you want to get people like her, who will treat your kids like they were hers, you have to pay them. As it is, she is woefully underpaid.
 
skincarekathy said:
If I had to guess, most of the cost of daycare goes to liability insurance and regulatory costs. Same reason medical costs are so high, and why the majority of medical workers are not paid relative to their worth either!

I vote for Lauri to get a big raise too!
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You'd be correct! As a general rule 1/2 to 3/4 of a daycare centers income goes directly to operating costs of which insurance is a huge part.
 
Clars said:
Not only is she responsible for them, she really truly cares about them. Lauri is wonderful and my kids adore her.

If you want to get people like her, who will treat your kids like they were hers, you have to pay them. As it is, she is woefully underpaid.
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exactly what I was thinking. Based on what I've read from her here, she cares more and has more patience than a lot of parents do. I remember her telling one story about taking a kid to the zoo(?) all day with the kid's mother and the kid was drinking orange pop from a baby bottle and didn't get a diaper change all day and it bothered Lauri so much :pout: She really just seems to put the childrens' well-being first, in and out of her workplace. Genuine, reliable, trustworthy caretakers like that should be paid adequately IMO.

ETA: link to the thread I was talking about
 
OMG I love you guys!

I almost stayed out of this thread as any discussion about daycare can get a bit crazy but it is WONDERFUL to read all the nice things.

And please don't think we (daycare providers) make big money. We don't. It's sad what we get paid. And looks like no raises again this year.

Again, thanks for the kind words. Work has been tough lately!

On a positive note my boss brought in donuts today :)
 
Lauri said:
OMG I love you guys!

I almost stayed out of this thread as any discussion about daycare can get a bit crazy but it is WONDERFUL to read all the nice things.

And please don't think we (daycare providers) make big money. We don't. It's sad what we get paid. And looks like no raises again this year.

Again, thanks for the kind words. Work has been tough lately!

On a positive note my boss brought in donuts today :)
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I wholeheartedly agree that daycare teachers are underpaid!! And so many of the good teachers leave...

Thank you Lauri!
 
From the pdf in the linked article:
Like many service industries, about 80 percent of the cost in a child care program is for payroll and related expenses. The major way to control the budget is to control salaries. However, despite the tremendous responsibilities child care providers assume, child care remains one of the lowest paying professional fields. The federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees has been $7.25 per hour since 2009.15 The average wage for full-time child care workers was $10.25 per hour in 2011.16 That translates to $21,320 annually – below the federal poverty guidelines for a family of four, and barely above the poverty guidelines for a family of three.17

Family child care home providers earn even less. Studies show most have very low earnings, between $15,000 to $25,000 per year, with long hours and no benefits such as health care and retirement plans.18
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Hey Laurie can I hire you for the afternoons a couple days a week?! lol. We recently lost our "free" afternoon daycare provider and ended up hiring someone who likes to sit on the couch and watch movies with my children. Really? It's frickin beautiful outside you have all winter to watch movies!!! I believe we are paying enough to motivate someone to do a little more then that.
 
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