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Stories

As a recent PhD graduate, I've been looking for full-time work while struggling to manage an active 2 year old daughter. I am fortunate to have a grandmother nearby who watches my daughter twice a week. Without her, I would not be able to apply for jobs or keep up with the few contract jobs I do...Read more
Shelby
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 was an Early Childhood Education teacher for over 25 years. Children who have been in a high quality ECE program have a major advantage when they start public or private school. ECE is crucial in developing a lifetime love of learning, socialization with other children and adults, and basics in...Read more
Pat, Utah
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
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
in 2008 i was fired from nordstrom along with at least 6 other employees...i spent all of 2009 appealing my case to get my unemployment benifits, working small jobs that i found, taking my son to long beach community college preschool and taking care of my husband on disability... i started...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
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
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
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

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