Nearly one-third: that's the share childcare takes out of the budget of the average middle-income family of four with young children. Eating up 29 percent of their money, childcare represents the single largest item in these families' budgets, according to a report from Pre-K Now.
If you don't have kids and this figure astounds you, I'm here to tell you it's about right. I guess my partner and I and our two kids are getting a bargain; only 25 percent of our budget goes to childcare.
Given that a parent can't work for a wage unless she has childcare and (especially since the end of welfare) can't live unless she has a wage-earning job (or a sugar daddy), this is a crisis.
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I am a professional, business owner, single mother who receives no other financial help than what I can provide on my own. I didn't realize how financially devastating having a baby could be until I had to take time off from running my business to do so. I have been searching for ways to help my own situation and unfortunately, most of the programs I've found are designed only for those earning less than poverty level. One person I spoke with about the Head Start program (tuition help for child care) told me there is a whole group of professional people just like me that the system is because they need to change the requirements. I am in fervent search of any and all ways to help relieve some financial stress. I'm certain grants exist but don't know where to start to find them (other than cheesy internet scams that you can't trust).
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