What's wrong with this country!?!

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This article talks about the "eye-popping" cost of childcare. A woman paying 7000 a year for 3.5 days per week complains about the cost and the article says parents can't afford to save for college and pay the price of childcare as well. While this is very true of some parents, I'm not sure it's true of all parents. I did some math - this rate equates to 140 bucks a week (given a 50 week year - 2 weeks vacation and holidays). That's roughly 55 dollars a day. If you figure a 9 hour day (and a 4.5 hour half day), that's barely more than 6 dollars an hour.

And, the title is misleading. You're not putting your kids in daycare so they can play with play dough and blocks. You hope they are being well taken care of and that they are safe more than anything else (one would hope). This, it seems to me, is what you're paying for. That and a jump start over all the people with kids who are less fortunate than you. (man, don't I sound bitter!).

The article goes on to cover other options. Cooperative daycares is a cheaper option (one I'd probably feel better about in many ways). But, the ideal is, in my opinion, to have a consistent system of public pre-schools. Yes, there'd be a tax hike, but it's the fairest system I can think of. And don't tell me that if you don't have kids you shouldn't have to pay for it. I didn't want an ineffectual missile defense system, but I had to pay for it. And investing in our children seems much more worthy than a piece of orbiting garbage.

We live in a sick world with crazy priorities.

$7,000 a year for blocks and Play-Doh?

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Around here it's closer to 180 bucks a week if you want a place that you don't worry about sending your kid to. Babies and toddlers run you more. And it's incredibly hard to find. The wait lists are extremely long.

Last year I paid more than $5000 for after school care alone -- both kids in public school/pre-k. I think it would be really easy to end up paying $7000 a year. I don't know what the solution is, but the free market has spoken and what it comes down to is that full time parenting is not a skill that anyone is willing to pay you for.

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Ok, I read the article and realized it's more about preschool (emphasis on the education) than about child care.

So here's my take. Playdoh and blocks do present learning opportunities, but ones which a child can get at home. The parent in the introduction sounded like a stay-at-home (only sending the kid for three half days) so in her case I just don't think the kid needs preschool. Sometimes they just need learning opportunities. Duckie never went to preschool -- he played outside with other kids and ran in the streets until kindergarten started. And yeah, he started out behind the kids who had been to preschool, but he caught up quickly.

The kids who really need early childhood education are the ones who are in environments that are less than stimulating or worse, IMO. People who have money typically send their kids to preschool to get a leg up on their peers or for a specialty learning -- like a foreign language.

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I agree FreeDuck...Mine were the same way..just played and enjoyed their freedom until kindergarten...like it that way...I lose them too soon as it is...and for way too long during the day in my opinion. Wish they could go half days until they are in 4th grade at least!

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Just playing devils advocate here, since I don't of course have kids.

$7000 a year is a little over $580 a month. I'd have to think about that amount some more, but honestly, with all the other expenses I'd have if I had a child, I don't think I could afford it without either dipping into the college fund, or my retirement fund.

$6.00 an hour doesn't tell the whole story. How many kids are being cared for at the day care center? If there are 10, that's really $60.00 an hour the day care is getting. $60 an hour for 10 hours they are open...$600 a day.

I don't know, how many kids are in a day care center?

you have to pay rent or mortgage on the facilities of course, and pay workers, and all that other stuff. I really don't know anything about the profit margin of day cares.

However, I really couldn't look at it that my kid was only getting $6.00 an hour care.

Also....whatever I am making an hour....subtract $6.00 an hour from that. It could make me wonder if it was worth it to go out to work. I can imagine that for a lot of people, paying $6.00 an hour out of their salary put them in the position where they are making less than minimum wage.

I don't really have an opinion, but the numbers are pretty harsh.

What if you have 2 children in day care? Do you get a discount on the second child?

Paying for 2 kids would make it hardly worth having a job.

Sure there's flex spending for day care, but still...

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We did not have money for daycare for our four children. If you add the cost by four, and then look at your meager pay for the week, it becomes desperate. My wife took a job at a daycare, just to be working and still have care for the children.

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That's smart edgar.

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Chai...in my experience...I could not afford to put my twins in daycare. It is why I quit working...I would have been bringing home a paltry $200 - $400 a month after we paid for daycare for twin babies...and while that is a lot of money to us...it was not clearing enought to make it worth our while to miss that time with them. We just shaved the budget and tightened our belts!

They do give you a discount...but it is only like 10%. And you want to go with a reputabe daycare center and all the ones we were recommended were just out of our reach. I can't imagine being a single Mom...I have a liberal arts degree and did not make very good money. I could have gone back and got my Masters and teaching certificate - I would have had to if I was not married...at least then I would have had a better chance of being able to afford it.

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Yeah, I think if you have any more than 2 kids under age 5 somebody has to stay home as you'd have to be making pretty good money to afford quality care for them, or else do what Edgar's wife did.

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Re: What's wrong with this country!?!

littlek wrote:

This article talks about the "eye-popping" cost of childcare. A woman paying 7000 a year for 3.5 days per week complains about the cost and the article says parents can't afford to save for college and pay the price of childcare as well. While this is very true of some parents, I'm not sure it's true of all parents. I did some math - this rate equates to 140 bucks a week (given a 50 week year - 2 weeks vacation and holidays). That's roughly 55 dollars a day. If you figure a 9 hour day (and a 4.5 hour half day), that's barely more than 6 dollars an hour.

And, the title is misleading. You're not putting your kids in daycare so they can play with play dough and blocks. You hope they are being well taken care of and that they are safe more than anything else (one would hope). This, it seems to me, is what you're paying for. That and a jump start over all the people with kids who are less fortunate than you. (man, don't I sound bitter!).

The article goes on to cover other options. Cooperative daycares is a cheaper option (one I'd probably feel better about in many ways). But, the ideal is, in my opinion, to have a consistent system of public pre-schools. Yes, there'd be a tax hike, but it's the fairest system I can think of. And don't tell me that if you don't have kids you shouldn't have to pay for it. I didn't want an ineffectual missile defense system, but I had to pay for it. And investing in our children seems much more worthy than a piece of orbiting garbage.

We live in a sick world with crazy priorities.

$7,000 a year for blocks and Play-Doh?

You think that's bad? Wait till the kid decides to go to medical school and hands you the tuition bill for $50,000/year plus the room/board/books/equipment bill for $30,000/year.

Cool

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Can anyone say, "attention whore?"

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Chai wrote:

Just playing devils advocate here, since I don't of course have kids.

$7000 a year is a little over $580 a month. I'd have to think about that amount some more, but honestly, with all the other expenses I'd have if I had a child, I don't think I could afford it without either dipping into the college fund, or my retirement fund.

$6.00 an hour doesn't tell the whole story. How many kids are being cared for at the day care center? If there are 10, that's really $60.00 an hour the day care is getting. $60 an hour for 10 hours they are open...$600 a day.

I don't know, how many kids are in a day care center?

you have to pay rent or mortgage on the facilities of course, and pay workers, and all that other stuff. I really don't know anything about the profit margin of day cares.

However, I really couldn't look at it that my kid was only getting $6.00 an hour care.

Also....whatever I am making an hour....subtract $6.00 an hour from that. It could make me wonder if it was worth it to go out to work. I can imagine that for a lot of people, paying $6.00 an hour out of their salary put them in the position where they are making less than minimum wage.

I don't really have an opinion, but the numbers are pretty harsh.

What if you have 2 children in day care? Do you get a discount on the second child?

Paying for 2 kids would make it hardly worth having a job.

Sure there's flex spending for day care, but still...

And don't forget about the liability issues.

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Chai wrote:

I'd have to think about that amount some more, but honestly, with all the other expenses I'd have if I had a child, I don't think I could afford it without either dipping into the college fund, or my retirement fund.

But, this is sort of the point. Our priorities are all wrong. The republican perspective of taking care of one's own is even more wrong.

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If I can't afford to put away for my childs future to help him be the best he can be.....

or put away for my future so I won't be up nights worrying about living ok, or being a burden to my kids....

or put them in day care, but don't have enough left over to properly care for them

or put them in day care and am too tired and distracted about not having enough money to give them what they need...

then what good am I being as a parent?

I guess I really don't get your point?

Is is the fact their day care "only" costs $6.00 an hour, and that's not too much to pay?

Well, If I'm working for $10 an hour, I only end up with $4....60% of my gross pay goes for something that at that price, I would stay home and care for my children, the way most people would probably want to anyway.

What is the point anyway? And what do you mean about the "republican perspective of taking caring of your own"?

Isn't that what we would want to do? Take care of our own children if possible?
Isn't that why people have children, so they can take care of them?

How is that wrong?

I guess I'm really confused about what you are saying.

What you quoted me on saying about how if today I had a child and needed to work and pay for my childs needs, and my needs, and the rest of my families needs, and not having enough and having to take out of my child's future educational funds, or what I'm trying to gather for old age....well, it's the truth. You can't get blood out of a stone. Where is an extra approx $600 supposed to come from if I'm not earning enough to cover it?

I'm getting increasingly puzzled, explain where I'm to get the money from if I earn a good living, but pay a mortgage, invest as much as I can for our futures, and give my kids food and shelter. Simple economics says one of those things have to go.....which one should a person pick?

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I think my point is more along the lines of what Americans aren't doing for their young people in general. Not so much about individual people and their own kids. And, I guess what it comes down to is tax spending, ultimately. Or lack of a community effort.

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oh.

well.

I can't change what Americans are doing in general.

I can't even convince my husband to put the footrest down on his recliner when he leaves the room.

I have very little power, sorry I can't help.

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Quote:

What is the point anyway?

That's what I've always wondered re: putting kids in daycare so you can work -- considering the cost, how is it worth it?

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It depends on what you earn and what you might lose if you depart from the work force for several years.

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I realize I am setting myself up to be shot up again here...I am on the wrong side of the argument pretty much every time it seems ( I know - call me a wimp - I am trying to make you feel sorry for me so you won't drill me - but I am indeed - a BIG sissy).

here goes.

Do you think that the government helping so much causes us to depend on it too much? Where do we draw the line and say - "You really need to be responsible for this...". So we have to pay more taxes to get help with childcare. But only a few take advantage of that. And any other thing our taxes go toward. How much can taxes go up? I am conservative. I admit it. I am all for helping whoever though...glad my money can do that...I just wonder how much of my taxes actually do that though. I get nauseous when I see DH's paycheck. I have to starch and iron his dress shirts myself so I can take my kids to McDonalds and maybe to get icecream once a month and the govt is getting that much out of our paychecks? My husband works hard for that money..he is leaving me two weeks out of the month to travel to earn it...and I am driving a car that is too small for my family? I could afford a new one if I could use some of that money.

I am not political. I am not a genius...I don't even know how it all really works. I know I am blessed - I am thankful for what we have. If you compare my family to many we are absolutely stinkin rich. So in that view I am embarrassed to even whine about the taxes...and I know I read where someone said they didn't sign up for the missile whatchamadoogie thing either but let's hope we don't have to take advantage of that either, but where do we draw the line as far as who we support? And is it wrong for me to find a way to buy into some of that money if guidelines allow me? Or is that taking advantage?

I am really tired and I have a headache...did any of that make sense?
anyway...fire away...I just took some tylenol...maybe that will cause the ensuing words to be less painful...(I know wah wah wah - )

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What's wrong with this country!?!

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