Election 2024: Early Childcare
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Young families have a harder time raising kids than previous generations. That average household spends $325 a week on childcare. That’s roughly 20% of their income according to Lending Tree Analysis. For some mothers, raising a child can cost them their career.
“We not only are losing out in of wages but we’re losing career growth and promotions,” Dawn Huckelbridge, Founder of Paid Leave Pack
More than half of the country lives in a childcare desert – especially in rural and urban communities. The combination of inflation and COVID funds drying up, families are shelling out more money now on their family than ever.
Dawn Huckelbridge the founder of Paid Leave For All says 1 in 4 women don’t have paid leave. It’s an issue that is forcing mothers to choose between their careers or their children. It’s also an issue Washington leaders can fix by creating laws that guarantee at least 12 weeks leave for new parents.
“That means one in four women go back to work within two weeks of giving birth,” Huckelbridge said. “If you think about it, you can’t even check children into a childcare center at that early in life. You can’t get vaccines that early.”
Huckelbridge said a Kamala Harris win in November will be a victory for women because she understands their struggles of being a mother balancing a career and raising children.
Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms For Liberty, also believes time in the early years is crucial for the child’s success.
Where they split – Justice believes Donald Trump is a family man who understands the economics of ing young kids.
“Parents are having trouble affording groceries, paying their mortgage, paying car payments and then having to put your children in childcare and having to pay for that as costs continue to rise is an impossible situation,” Justice said.
Justice believes a better economy will allow more parents the freedom to stay home with young children. That starts with like-minded leadership in Washington.
“I think there’s an opportunity for tax credits and other things that the government can be innovative in how they families,” Justice said. “I’m excited to be able to see and hopefully work with President Trump to make some of those things happen. He’s a family guy, he loves parents.”
Both women say getting more time with family is the top thing they are most looking forward to during the next istration.
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