As a recent PhD graduate, I've been looking for full-time work while struggling to manage an active 2 year old daughter. I am fortunate to have a grandmother nearby who watches my daughter twice a week. Without her, I would not be able to apply for jobs or keep up with the few contract jobs I do have. I currently pay an unemployed friend to watch my daughter twice a week in the morning, but I wish I could afford to pay for her to attend a quality childcare facility. I would love for her to be able to socialize with other children and learn with them. High quality childcare is simply too expensive for us to afford on our budget. Over one quarter of my husband's salary already goes to health insurance for myself and our daughter. Many childcare options in our city that are of decent quality cost about half of his salary. How can we afford that? We make too much money to be eligible for any sort of assistance with health care or childcare, and we struggle to determine how that is possible. I would love for congress to consider childcare assistance for middle class families.