Why do parents complain about the cost of childcare?

Question

when they are wanting the best for their children but want us childcarers to do it for next to nothing?would they work for a lesser salary?

Answer 1

Because it is so EXPENSIVE. Most parents can't afford daycare or a babysitter. Where i live for a babysitter they charge about 15 dollars an hour. i didn't even make that much working full-time! There's no way in h**l that i would work my *** off just to give someone like you my entire paycheck to watch my baby. Which i why i chose not to go back to work after my maternity leave ended.

Answer 2

Many of them just can't afford it or it isn't worth the cost for what they make. I went back to work the end of last year and when we looked into daycare for 2 kids + cost of gas etc for me to work I ended up making less then $100/wk. Totally not worth it. I watch my neighbors 2 little ones because they can't afford the $350+ a week they'd have to pay at a regular center. I charge them $250/wk..not worth the stress for me most days but I do it because we're friends (and we're saving it to have baby #3).

Answer 3

The thing that makes me laugh with most of these answers is why did they not take that into consideration before they had children?? If you can not afford children do not have them, simple.

Answer 4

Yes we all want what's best for our children but when you talk about paying 1000 a month... about another house payment...for one child..it's very high.  You are basically working just to cover day care...so when you are single...how do you afford this?  You almost can't.  We're just saying that if we can buy a car for 300-400 a month payments why is child care double that?  

Taking care of a child is no easy task we all understand that.  But it's not brain surgery but we're paying as if we were having brain surgery!

Answer 5

In my opinion what is best for the children is for one of their parents to stay home with them.  Not only is day care expensive, the kids get sick a lot more because they are exposed to so much.  Unfortunately for me, I did not have a choice and had to go to work when my children were little and I spent a lot of time in research to find THE right place for them to go.  Money did not matter with me as long as I knew my children were in a clean and safe enviornment.  And, there is NOT enough money in the world that would make me want to have their job.  I had a hard enough time being able to stand my kids when they were in their twos and threes.  No way would I have the patience to put up with someone elses children.  My heart goes out to those who can take care of other peoples children and actually love to do it.  The don't get paid enough in my opinion.

Answer 6

We begrudged spending 70% of our spare money on childcare until we moved to Germany where the kids are in kindergarten full time for 300Euro a month. That's equivalent to what we paid for 2 days a week at our London nursery! Plus it's a great nursery, and the staff all get a decent wage so there's a much lower staff turnover.

And yes, this even works out great value for money if you factor in slightly lower wages: that'll be the subsidies from a government with real family-friendly commitments...

Answer 7

We complain because it is ridiculous that each child care worker (in a at home environment) gets almost an ENTIRE paycheck from each child's household.  It reeks of selfishness.

As for daycare centers, the workers there are notoriously underpaid, so where exactly DOES all that money go?

In my state, it is upwards of 1000 a month for each child.  Which means that I would need to have 2 jobs in order to pay for the childcare needed to have one full time job.

Answer 8

Because many of us would prefer to stay home with our children instead of working. I do what I have to do, if I could stay home I would. But as a single mother, I must work to provide the other necessities. I pay more in childcare than I do my rent. And I'll continue to do so, but that doesn't mean I can't gripe about it.

Answer 9

They complain like we all do about the cost of many things.

However, I can see the validity of some of their complaints as why does it cost next to equal the salary of an average wage earner in the US?  That is the reason why many people decide to leave one person home to care for the kids instead of using child care because your services are really not cost effective.

My 2 cents

Answer 10

I was actually surprised how inexpensive the day care center I take my children to is (2 days a week - my MIL watches them the other days).  I guess this is because of all the complaining I heard.  It would be about 1000 a month per child at the facility i take my children to.

Answer 11

I used to complain, because at one point, after stoppages I was working for £0.  Basically I had 2 children of nursery age in nursery 5 days a week.  The cost of 2 nursery places swalowed up ALL of my monthly pay, and so in the end I said enough's enough and gave up Full Time work because I was paying someone else my salary in order to miss out on my kids early years.  

The crazy thing in the UK, is that the Government give early years grants for 3+ year olds to encourage nursery prior to starting school, it doesn't help the cost of baby care etc.  I personally think that the people who care for children for a living do an excellent job, having put 2 children through nursery from start to finish (0-5) I feel I am in the position to say this.

I don't think nursery staff or any childcare staff get paid enough, for the long hours they work, especially as most are available before 8am and work until gone 6pm at night.  They should be sainted!

Its a catch 22 for most people on an average wage; work, and pay childcare, have a very small income left (if any) or, forget working, pay no childcare, and have absolutely no income at all.  Or, if you are one of the really lucky ones, get a grandparent to provide free childcare, and keep working and have lots of money for yourself!

I don't think parents intentionally mean to sound like they complain, I guess its more frustration about the whole situation.

Answer 12

Well on the bright side, at least it influences some mama's to stay home with the children instead.

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Answer 13

The cost is very high.  I understand that there is insurance and all the other expenses of running a business.  

Have you tried to sit down and figure out what it would cost you if you worked an office job and had children in daycare what you would have left after you pay child care costs?

I am thankful my children are grown but my children have to deal with child care cost and it is very high.

Answer 14

Its not a case of doing it for next to nothing its the fact that some of us are paying £30 an hour and earning nowhere near that.

Answer 15

I second that!!!!!!!!

As a private nanny, I work to make a living.  The response I get is that they dont want someone who is there to make money, they want someone to be there because they love theid child.  

The thing is...   No they dont, thats just a cop out for not wanting to pay for their child care.  I mean, I market myself to the most affluent of my area, and get people wanting to pay 2 and 3 dollars an hour.  

But in reality, you should all want someone who is looking for a job.  As a job, it is my source of income, my living.  Just the same as any other job, I am paying taxes on this (I have business tax IDs and actually tax myself as a self employer).  As a job, I am going to make sure I am on time all the time because if Im not, I loose my job.  As my job, I am going to do things the way my client (boss) wants them done so that I keep the client (job).  As my job, if you tell me you child cant say hello, I wont allow them to say hello.  I think its dumb and a hinderance, but, its my job.  I draw that line if what I am being asked puts the child at risk, but its my job to do what you want the way you want it.

Someone who is there for the love of kids only...   isnt going to be on time all the time.  Isnt going to discipline for saying hello.  They are more likley to call in because they are not relying on that money to get by.

And last but not least...   More than anything else you are paying for your child's safety while you are not there.  Are you telling me that your child's safety isnt important to you?  And then a lot of parents want to pay less for hours that the child is asleep.  Well, they are asleep, you wont be doing anything but being there.  hmm.   Is it not still my rop responsibility to make sure your kids are safe?  To check on the sleeping baby?  To get the kids out safely if there is an emergency?  Why is your child's safety less important when they are asleep?  I would think that's when it would be the most important, as they are asleep and wont know if something bad is happening to do anything about it.  An awake child will scream or alert others.

Answer 16

Well I can certainly understand why people would complain but baby sitters need to be paid for their services and not expected to work for free. Being a childcare provider is a stressful but rewarding job and I always charged more or less depending on the family's financial status.

Answer 17

i'm a registered childminder in the uk and have been for 8 years.what annoys me the most about people who complain about the cost of childcare is that they often fail to remember that WE CARE FOR THEIR MOST PRECIOUS AND TREASURED POSSESSIONS THAT THEY WILL EVER HAVE AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPONSIBLE JOBS IN THE WORLD!!! Most childminders charge less than the minimum wage so say for example i only have one child in my care then i would only earn £3.00 an hour.how many people out their would work for that??? And out of that comes tax, insurance, resources, toys...- everything down to baby wipes.We do paperwork, gain qualifications,and work up to 11 hours a day without a break.unfortunately, as a homebased carer i cant have a tea or lunch break.very often i dont even get to sit down to eat!

What also annoys me is that mothers will bleat to me about their monthly childcare bill( which, by the way goes over my head cos they know the cost before they leave their child with me ) and then in the same breath will let slip that they forked out £150 to have their hair done!! it's all about priorities with some people. Although i do sometimes sympathse with some people who spend most of their wages on childcare, it's something that they need to think about before they even get pregnant.

Answer 18

You know, I never complain because I know I don't have a choice, but it does frustrate the h**l out of me that by watching just 4 children in my home for 8 hours a day, I could potentially stay home with my child and make the same living as I do as a degreed accountant.  Unfortunately, I don't have the patience or the room to provide childcare.  

Another scenario:  my daughter's school provides daycare for students.  Her school alone collects over $40,000 per month in fees.  Deduct 6 employees with an average pay of $12 per hour, and $200 for daily cheese puffs & juice boxes, and you're still looking at over $35,000 profit every month, for a not-for-profit school district.  I don't believe that's reasonable at all, but it's the cheapest and safest I have available to me.