Mom’s Rant About Astronomical Child Care Costs Is Making So Many Parents Say, ‘Same’

@tallmomrunning/TikTok

Child care costs are astronomical in the United States, and many families struggle to pay the bills. Some are forced to have fewer children than they may have wanted simply because the cost of care is too high. In some situations, families are better off financially having one person at home to care for their children instead of working outside of the home and paying for full-time care.

One mom took to TikTok to express her frustrations with the cost of care for her toddler and newborn, and her message resonated with many parents. She presents it as a warning to others considering having a child to see what the expenses look like. Her child care bill for two kids could quite possibly change some people’s views on whether they are financially able to afford a child.

Having kids is expensive.

@tallmomrunning I live outside the Twin Cities. And, this is average cost of care for a center in our area. It is outrageous. I got a 4.4% cost of living increase for 2023. There is no universal preschool in Minnesota. It’s a joke. #childcare #crisis #workingmom #2023 #daycare #bill #mom #fyp #fy #minnesota ♬ original sound - ellen

We all know that when you decide to have a child, it will be expensive. Little ones need everything from diapers and feeding supplies to clothes and toys, and that is all before factoring in child care costs.

Ellen Wood, aka @tallmomrunning on TikTok, works full time and has her two young children in day care. She revealed in her TikTok what she calls a “realistic day care bill” in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Her infant care is $443 per week, and her preschool rate is $358 per week.

For five weeks of care, her family spent $2,215 for their infant and $1,790 for their preschooler. That adds up to $3,826 for five weeks, a total of more than $40,000 a year just for child care. Wood jokes that they even receive a 10% discount for their lowest-priced child, saving her a “whopping $179.”

So many parents can relate to this video.

Wood’s video has 1.9 million views, with parents lamenting their own child care costs in the comments. The frustration is real.

“Yep. In MD I paid $19K in 2022 for one child in daycare,” one person shared.

“Reference this when they ask why people are not having kids!” someone pointed out.

“HOW DO YOU WORK STILL!? Genuine question," a follower asked.

“ What do you make! That how much the majority of Americans make in a year,” another person wrote.

The high costs have some people flat-out quitting their jobs.

@tallmomrunning In America, working moms are the ones that are financially privileged enough to afford childcare and have multiple children. #workingmom #sahm #mom #paidleave #womenshealth #childcare #daycare ♬ Speak Now - Taylor Swift

There were plenty of comments on Woods' post from parents who left the corporate world to stay home and save the money.

“Yeah I had to quit my job and be a SAHM bc of that bill. My tubes are TIED!! ,” one mom admitted.

“And that’s why my son is not in daycare and I run my small business and have him at home with me it’s too expensive,” someone agreed.

For some, there just isn’t a choice. “And this is why I had to become a SAHM. Its what was necessary for our family. It’s so sad that it’s this expensive,” another person wrote.

Why is the cost so high?

Care.com reported that according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, child care costs should be no more than 7% of a family’s household income. Costs vary by location, and for a lot of families, their child care bills are higher than what they would be spending on college.

“58% of families plan to spend more than $10,000 on child care this year. Meanwhile, the average annual cost of in-state college tuition is $9,377,” the agency wrote.

Will the system ever change?

For a lot of families, there is fear that what they call a “broken system” will make it impossible to have children at all. It is a scary thought for the future of our world if things don’t change.

Care.com explains that quality of care is essential, which parents would clearly agree on, but families need help covering these costs. The organization says families need to look at all options to compare care, look into subsidies and tax credits, and set up a dependent child care account.

The government will likely have to get further involved to help families provide the quality care they need that is sustainable for working parents. There is hope.

“In 2022, New Mexico became the first state to guarantee child care funding in its constitution and overhauled its child care system. As a result, many parents there enjoy access to care with far less of a financial burden,” Care.com reported.

To help other parents, more states need to do their part.

Woods wants to help.

@tallmomrunning Thanks to a group of Senators and House Reps. a collection of bills for paid FMLA and for expanding coverage for FMLA have been entered. Now is the time! Please sign my petition. Link in bio. #paidleave #stateoftheunion #presidentbiden #congress #senate #house #womensrights #fyp #fy #feminist ♬ original sound - ellen

Woods’ TikTok account has tons of videos for parents that give info about pregnancy rights, parental leave, women’s rights in the workplace, and countries with universal child care.

She is a wealth of knowledge that can help so many. She encourages parents to stay informed and active with their state government to help bring about positive change for all parents and children.