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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
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
The absolute worst part of becoming a new mother two years ago was trying to deal with my time off from work -- supporting myself and my family financially and guaranteeing that I would have a job to return to. I work for the University of Texas which is considered to have good benefits including "...Read more
Briana, Texas
Well, I guess I'm one of the "lucky" ones in the working middle class who makes just enough money to justify keeping a job and placing my two children in daycare. We couldn't afford full time care for both. So for three days a week, childcare costs more than my mortgage. In fact, when I balance my...Read more
Jeannine
As a social worker (Child Protective Services) low or no cost child care is the difference between my clients working or staying home and continuing to collect TANF. Child Care also provide a safety net where children are seen everyday by mandated reporters instead of spending 24/7 with their...Read more
Larry
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 am a single mother of young children and I am in law school with a degree from UW. But three years ago, a single set back destabilized my entire family. A single, and rare, support payment from the father of my children temporarily put me over the income limit for my childcare subsidy. Overnight...Read more
Angelica, Seattle, WA
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
I have had all the emotions when it has come to day care for my children, I had refused to pay all the little extra on top of my weekly fee for day care when my two older boys where in day care, so because of it, I went to pick my kids up on a Friday evening and the daycare provider had let them go...Read more
Latosha
I shopped around quite a bit while I was pregnant with my first child and right after he was born. I checked online mommy groups for advice and drove around my neighborhood. The places I found were not very nice and the biggest red flag was that the kids did not seem happy at most of the places...Read more
Dawn

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