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Stories

While living in California, quality early education/childcare cost as much as I was making. Not having a career position as an executive assistant, leaving the workforce seemed the best option, given that I would be working to hold a place in a career path that was my second choice. (I have a...Read more
Sybil
My husband was recently laid-off his primary job. He does have a second part-time job that he could work more hours at, however, because of the cost of childcare, it would actually be BETTER financially for us for him to stay home and collect unemployment. If he tried to work more hours at his part...Read more
Anonymous
I am a mother of two toddlers and my story is about how difficult a time I had finding affordable care for my children. When I left to go on maternity leave from my job as a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration, I never imagined not being able to return. Unfortunately, the cost of...Read more
Rachel, Washington
I'm writing on behalf of my daughter who had her first child in July. After giving birth her company gave her 6 weeks of medical leave. Unfortunately after the 6 weeks the baby was still on a very unsteady sleeping schedule...usually 3 to 4 hours sleep and then waking and crying to be fed. She was...Read more
Anonymous
A small bump in my income meant I lost the child care support that was keeping my budget in line and keeping my family stable. I am a single mother of young children and I am in law school with a degree from UW. But three years ago, a single set back destabilized my entire family. A single, and...Read more
Angelica, Washington
We live in Marin County and childcare here costs atleast $15 per hour for a babysitter. Of course you can find lower, but they usually don't speak English. I don't make much more per hour than they do so it was pointless for me to work and just hand my earnings over to the babysitter. Instead we...Read more
Anonymous
Like most Americans, I do not have paid family leave. I went into labor with my son when I was at work, almost two months before his due date. My son was born at 33 weeks, by emergency C-section, and spent a month in the NICU. I used all of my vacation and sick time to be with him daily. When that...Read more
Jonna Ashley, Denver
Had to quit my job because I could not afford or find good daycare, also was denied unemployment. Employer ( before I had to quit) reduce me to parttime and did not allow me to go back to the nightshift.Read more
Daniela
The cost of childcare is an enormous burden to my family. Both parents have to work but the cost of childcare ($13,000 for childcare/preschool and $3,000 for aftercare) has meant that we have fallen deeper and deeper into debt. For the past year I have been unemployed, so even though my daughter...Read more
Jennifer
The Children's School in Seattle has been at the forefront of providing quality and affordable preschool education for over 50 years. This not-for-profit school has been fortunate to maintain quality teacher, a low teacher-student ratio, low turnover rate but is still struggles to recruit quality...Read more
June, Washington

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