Christine Kelly Reads and Writes

There is obviously a monetary cost to childcare, but what about the additional burden it puts on families? As I embark on this next chapter, without consistent childcare as I had hoped, I’m afraid of what the true cost is to me, though our budget is must less burdened.

Childcare mostly falls to women. This can be a nanny, daycare facility, teacher, or parenting; it usually is a woman taking care of the children. But at what cost?

When it comes to being a nanny, I can speak little to this because I don’t have a nanny ( I do use babysitters regularly), and I was never a regular nanny. But the cost I associate with a nanny is high, thus mostly unattainable for most people. But there are benefits for many reasons if you find a good nanny, one of which is a stress free situation for parents, and a comforting one for kids.

Though, for the remainder, while the cost is high when it comes to dollars spent, what is actually being returned to the caretakers, it’s minimal. Take teachers for instance, they are underpaid and over worked. Under appreciated, and most facing burnout. After the pandemic, many teachers left which caused schools to scramble to find replacements, especially ones that will help the upcoming generation be prepared. So in this case, the true cost of childcare (because that is also what schooling offers) is the wellbeing of people in a certain profession. And it’s not lost on me that this profession is mostly women and it’s hard for society to say, “yea, ok, let’s pay them fairly.”

The other cost of childcare comes with one I know extremely well, and this is the unpaid job of mother. It’s been something I’ve battled with my husband on, because I am not someone that wants to stay at home with my kids. I love them, but I need a break. A break for my mental health, a break for my kids to have their mom at their best, and a break because all my hours are consumed working. I’m trying to work a few different jobs to not be left without income in case something happens to my husband who is the breadwinner of this family. But it’s not enough to cover what the cost of childcare is in our area. So the cost falls on me, which is free. I am sacrificing my career (while I’m working, I’m also doing it on my “off hours” of parenting.”)

That’s not to leave out the mention of daycare workers who are underpaid, yet the cost of childcare rising, and availbility at facilities across the country are limited. The cost here is exorbident to the parents, and underpaid to the people taking care of the children. I want those who take care of our kids to be properly compensated, but what will give so that those of us who don’t get paid to cover the cost of childcare are forced to take a back seat to motherhood?

Just my musings on a Monday.