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Stories

As two professionals living the American Dream (well, sort of--too bad about that mortgage thing and associated housing bubble) we need to work. We have a pre-K and an infant. Finding decent day-care is like scouring the classified ads for '58 Buick parts--you got Chrysler parts, Chevy Parts, '52...Read more
Anonymous, Washington
Like most Americans, I do not have paid family leave. I went into labor with my son when I was at work, almost two months before his due date. My son was born at 33 weeks, by emergency C-section, and spent a month in the NICU. I used all of my vacation and sick time to be with him daily. When that...Read more
Jonna Ashley, Denver
Quality child care is difficult to find. Affordable quality child care is non-existent. And it's almost impossible to run a household on one income these days. We have paid over $15,000 a year for childcare for our kids. And no matter which way we slice it, we are barely making it. However, having...Read more
Leah, Washington
We have been fortunate to find great child care centers in MA, GA, and NY (we moved a lot), with developmentally appropriate curriculum, good staff/child ratios, healthy food, and a safe environment. However, without dual professional incomes, we couldn't have afforded the very high rates. I...Read more
Anonymous
Having no paid maternity leave from my waitressing job threw my husband and I into financial chaos. It was so stressful - on top of having a newborn, not even knowing how we were going to make what little savings we had last, having to stress about buying diapers and basic survival items. We had...Read more
Melissa
I found a great family day care provider near my house, but it costs a quarter of my monthly income (and a quarter of my wife's income) in order to afford her great services. And she's one of the cheapest options we found in the area!Read more
Anonymous
While living in California, quality early education/childcare cost as much as I was making. Not having a career position as an executive assistant, leaving the workforce seemed the best option, given that I would be working to hold a place in a career path that was my second choice. (I have a...Read more
Sybil
Affordable part-time childcare/preschool through our local Park and Recreation Department is making it possible for me to help run our family business. I would be out of the workforce entirely, and our business would be suffering, were it not for this great community resource. There are very few...Read more
Anonymous
I was a teacher at the local high school for 7 years. When I got pregnant for the first time, I wanted to do everything...continue teaching in my FFA program AND raise a baby. Turns out it was a hard match. Adding my daughter to my health insurance was one thing (I went from paying $15/month to $...Read more
Michelle
I have been unable to afford childcare for over a year now. Because, childcare is so cost prohibitive in Los Angeles, it is more cost effective to stay home than to work. I have many friends in the same position and all of us had to give up our jobs because childcare is more expensive than we can...Read more
Jen

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