This weekend as I was enjoying my Sunday Paper, the headline in the Parade Magazine caught my attention: The New Push for Quality Child Care.  We just received notice from my daughter's day care provider that monthly costs are going up and even though she will be moving to the 4 year old room this fall, our expenses will remain the same.  As we plan for child number 2, we were happy to note that infant costs are not going up, this year, but they probably will by the time we actually need infant care.

The article noted that in many European countries, state supported child care is almost seen as a right, not a privilege.  Most of those countries most likely also provide or require much longer paid maternity leaves than the United States does.  The PTO policy recently changed at my work and as I will have been with my company less than 5 years, I will only be able to have 9 weeks of paid maternity leave saved up (almost 6 weeks of extended leave and a little over 3 weeks of PTO) should I have a child a year from now.  I can take the remaining 3 weeks unpaid if I want as the law requires them to give me, but how can anyone afford that?  Especially as when I return to work, I will have an additional $600 to pay out each month for my infant's care.

I do choose to place my children in a child care center and I realize that does increase my cost.  I might be able to find an in-home care giver that would charge me less, but we have found a center that we like, we are confident in and that our daughter has thrived in.  Even on days she tells me she doesn't want to go, when she comes home she has stories about her little friends and what they did.

With all the other crises going on in the US, I know that child care is going to take a backseat.  Is public child care the answer?  More realistic tax credits: honestly, does anyone know of someone who pays less than $5,000/year for their childcare?  Better maternity leave benefits?  Single payer healthcare: with the government providing healthcare, would more businesses have extra money in the benefit pot to provide better maternity leave, better flexible working arrangements or even onsite child care?

I'm happy with my daughter's child care arrangements and am willing to pay a little more so they can provide her with all that she needs.  But I really would like more options!