Parents are painfully aware that childcare costs in America are astronomical. Most families spend thousands of dollars per child per year for full-time daycare. Affordability is worse in certain states yet gone are the days of the typical one paycheck household. Inflation and the rising costs of housing make it nearly impossible for one parent to stay home to raise the children while the other works. So, what is the solution?

Childcare and family assistance grants are available in most states. North Carolina has a Subsidized Child Care Program to help eligible parents pay for childcare. Parents can apply for Head Start, a federally funded preschool program. Because the government is aware that childcare is a crisis in America, the IRS offers tax credits to parents on federal tax returns. Parents can also research local non-profits. 

Smart Start is committed to increasing access and raising the quality of early care and education across the state of North Carolina. Another solution may be in-home daycare which can often be less expensive than a daycare center. Yet if opting for in-home care, do your research. The North Carolina Division of Child Development and Education has an online tool for parents to check licensing and accreditation. Any complaints or violations against the daycare would be listed as well. 

Childcare costs are certainly a burden but if everyone waited until they could easily afford to raise a child in America there would be no children. Birth rates have been declining since 2024 due in part to affordability concerns. If you are reading this and think that only people who can afford a child should have a child, you should know that a declining birth rate will eventually result in economic strain. Consider the proverb “It takes a village” then reach out to a parent who is struggling to see what you can do to help.