The Difficult Choice of Childcare

As we celebrate the value and contributions of all mothers in the United States this month of May, it is urgent to also reflect on one of the greatest challenges of parenting: access to affordable child care.

The current realities of the system are daunting: high costs, limited availability, and disparities in quality care forcing families into impossible choices. They either pay a for quality childcare, face a long wait for overbooked facilities, or postpone their careers to care for their children. While neither option is ideal, today’s childcare system has created this crisis for mothers like myself and thousands of others in this country.

Starting out, every choice seemed to put me in a losing situation. The pricier options included activities like reading for your child, while the affordable options lacked basics such as snacks or lunch. Parents were required to bring everything in those instances, and the facility focused primarily on naptime.

This disparity in resources and services perpetuates inequalities, leaving parents torn between meager options. The truth was that desirable facilities were largely unaffordable, the feasible options gave me little confidence that my children would be prioritized, and the possibility of postponing my career represented a massive hit to everything I had worked so hard for.

In having to choose, I decided to go with neither option and turned to my community, relying on the of family in caring for my three children until the older ones could help care for their siblings.

The dependence on informal networks shows the incredible connectivity of the Latino community but also exposes the inadequacies of a system that should provide accessible, affordable, and high-quality care for all children.

As the State Director of Arizona for Poder Latinx, I’m thankful I made the right choice for my career and children; however, my experience proves the need to reform the childcare system in my state and across the U.S. While I hope to highlight this developing crisis, the numbers prove it exists.

According to the Labor of Statistics, childcare prices vary substantially across the country, but prices are untenable for families even in lower-priced areas. The most recent data (2022) indicates that childcare prices range from $5,357 for school-age home-based care in small counties to $17,171 for infant center-based care in large counties. These prices represent between 8% and 19.3% of median family income per child.

The expensive nature of childcare particularly affects the Latino community, which often has limited financial resources for childcare; a Hispanic household makes about $10,000 below the overall median household income.

These prices do not reflect the quality of childcare, where high-quality care is scarce and untenable. Even if you can afford it, you might not get a slot because of the demand.

We must urge elected officials, who depend on our vote, to mothers with comprehensive childcare policies. Mothers are superheroes, but even the mightiest heroes need to care for their kids. Policies focused on making childcare more affordable and accessible are the best gift you can give to uplift families nationwide.

At Poder Latinx, we are dedicated to championing the rights and well-being of our communities, raising awareness, and advocating for issues like this. We are convinced that family and economic for working families will greatly improve their chances for stability and success, leading to a more equitable and thriving society for all.

These efforts catalyze increased voter engagement and inspire events nationwide, especially as we approach an election season when childcare accessibility emerges as a pivotal concern for the Latino community. ing to vote is the first step, but showing up to the polls will be the definite game changer in getting affordable, accessible, and better care for our children and our families.

Nancy Herrera is the Arizona Program Director for Poder Latinx, where she leads a community-oriented team to build political power and a strong voting block among thousands of Arizonans.