Daycare assistance is meant to be a subsidized childcare program helping out low-income parents in various states. There are income requirements and, if approved, families qualify for reliable childcare close to where they reside. Even with these subsidies, it’s safe to say that many families are still struggling. This is especially true when the costs of daycare are always on the rise and families are still sometimes expected to contribute, even with assistance. One Oregon mom is speaking out when she realized she’s no longer going to be able to afford her child’s daycare.
Bex (@bexbtw) says that, as of recently, she was paying $400 a month for her son to go to daycare with daycare assistance help. After paying that amount, as well as all her monthly bills, she was left with $200 for savings. Now, she recently received a letter from the state notifying her that they’ll be cutting her daycare assistance. Bex asks her audience, “Do you know how much his daycare costs without assistance? $1,900 a month! I only have $200 left over. Where am I supposed to come up with that?”
Bex claims that, because of this, some mothers may feel they have no choice but to turn to “strip clubs” to earn extra money. She goes on to say, “This ends on March 31st. In a couple weeks, I’m supposed to come up with $1,900 for my son’s daycare so I can go to my three jobs. Three jobs, mind you.” Bex also points out that, even if her son’s dad was still in the picture, they still couldn’t afford the $1,900 a month. In essence, it really puts into perspective just how expensive raising a child has become.
This crash-out is something that so many parents are experiencing living in America. Everybody, parent or not, is experiencing rising costs they can’t keep up with. Commenters on Bex’s post mentioned that “universal childcare” should be a thing everywhere. One commenter also pointed out, “Meanwhile daycare workers get paid $12 an hr.” Another netizen stated, “They need to bring up the poverty level threshold. It’s ridiculous with inflation. The fact that the poverty level threshold is so low and so unrealistic that it needs to be adjusted.” It highlights a growing issue that can’t be ignored.
