(WTNH) – As kids get ready to head back to school, some families are struggling with the rising cost of child care. We are Stretching Your Dollar with how some families are coping.
As parents prepare to send their kids back to school, many are struggling with how to cope with the rising costs of child care.
“Everything just keeps getting more expensive and more expensive, including child care. But what’s not going up is the amount that people pay,” Christa Crittendon said.
A new estimate from The Brookings Institution, which was first reported in the Wall Street Journal, found the price of raising a child through high school has risen to more than $300,000.
To care for her child, it was easier for mom Christa Crittendon to leave work than to remain in her job.
“I was bringing home in a week like $300 and the cost of childcare is $150 a week. That’s half my paycheck every single week going to daycare,” Crittendon said.
In fact, in 2022 the Census Bureau reported nearly a quarter of parents with infants and toddlers left their job to care for their child.
“You just never know if it’s going to get better or if it’s going to get worse. And that’s personally the hardest part for me,” Crittendon said.
Nearly three in 10 parents are juggling caring for a child while working full time. Some parenting experts shared tips to help:
- Check with your employer to see what childcare subsidies are offered
- Utilize online resources to identify affordable care options
- Consider organizing parent childcare swaps
“You have to get creative. You have to go out on a limb. You have to ask because a lot of people are willing to help,” Ericka Souter said.
Make sure you’re talking to your tax professional as well to ensure you’re taking advantage of any tax breaks.