Catch-22: No job, no childcare; no childcare, no job

Finding a job while navigating childcare is like completing a puzzle without all the pieces. No matter how quickly you place the pieces together, organize the edges and put similar colors together—-the whole picture will not come together. In this case, childcare is the missing piece that creates the completed puzzle. Without affordable childcare, the job will never be enough and the puzzle will stay incomplete.

Job hunting is a full-time job: Reading job postings, updating resumes and cover letters, responding to phone screenings, first interviews, second interviews and sometimes more. Not to mention: follow-up emails thanking the hiring committee for the opportunity, and the emails to follow-up on the status of the position since no one ever communicated the result of the interview. 

My family and I just moved to a new area and the first words out of many neighbors’ mouths once they saw my toddler were, “Get on waitlists now if you want to work, they’re about 1-2 years long.” This on top of a move across the country puts a heavy burden on me, as a mother. Long waitlist times and the exorbitant price of childcare create barriers for me, as a woman, to return to the workforce—a challenge I’m sure many other mothers face as well. 

Daycare waitlist dilemma

I took my neighbor’s advice and started placing my child’s name on waitlists. It seems futile because hundreds of kids will either have to deny their spot or suddenly not need it. I felt ridiculous submitting her name to multiple locations unseen. Why bother seeing a location that she may not even get into? At this rate staying home until she reaches kindergarten is looking more and more likely. According to the Center for American Progress, as of 2021, 51% of Americans live in a “child care desert,” meaning there are more than three children for every available childcare slot, leading to long waitlists and shortages (Malik et al., 2021).

Finding a daycare while looking for a job is completely out of the question. Quick searches during nap time will have to be enough. When looking for a job I have to calculate if the job is even worth the effort because at least one out of my two checks is going directly to daycare. The job is only one half of the puzzle, and childcare is the other.

Average cost of a babysitter? Out of my price range

After some consideration, I began looking for babysitters. My husband works at home. The food our toddler eats would be provided along with all the toys and essentials needed. When I inquired about coverage for a few half-days a week in our home the cost was astounding. Babysitters were quoting an hourly price of  $20-$25. These babysitters are earning similar wages to professionals with undergraduate and graduate degrees.

As a teenager and young adult, I made money to cover my expenses as a babysitter, but it wasn’t a living wage. It was a means to pay some bills or have extra cash when going out with friends. While I value the person watching my child, when did babysitters begin making the fees of mid-career level experience? The cost of this service has skyrocketed to an unimaginable height that isn’t achievable for many parents—creating more financial strain. There is a rising demand for affordable childcare, but no structure in our current society to enforce this.

Affordable childcare is a myth

You need a job to afford childcare, but you need childcare to take the job. It’s a terrible cycle that is hard to break. You need a little bit of luck, perfect timing, and, according to many daycare rates, a lot of money.

I’ve been in situations where I want to explore a job because of the experience and knowledge it can give me to help me take the next step in my career, but I can’t explore it any further because of the pay. Looking at jobs with only certain pay scales turns into a vicious cycle of long interview processes and more experienced professionals hunting for the spot. Jobs that do offer daycare on-site are the golden ticket for working parents. They are highly sought after, but extremely rare to be offered. It would be like winning the lottery.

The toll on mothers

Mothers may be searching for jobs for various reasons: They may need a full-time or part-time job, or they may want to return to work because they enjoy it. In any case, women should have the choice and ability to contribute to the workforce. The lack of affordable care takes an emotional and financial toll on women. They need to earn a certain amount of money to re-enter the workforce, but many jobs don’t meet that requirement—at least not initially. Must they be okay with giving away the majority of their hard-earned paychecks? It feels like the missing piece to a puzzle you find out too late was sold to you incompletely—no hope of finding it under the kitchen table like you thought.

Women make up over 50% of the population—our needs matter. There needs to be a systematic change in our society that values affordable childcare. Like a rent control apartment in New York City, it would be highly sought after. The value would have profound impacts on the economy. More women could afford to continue working or re-enter the workforce with fewer obstacles. There would be lower turnover rates with mothers because they could come back to work without a 2-year waitlist holding them back. Families that need two incomes could prosper instead of struggle. As a mother, looking for a new job and affordable childcare, I can offer solidarity—you aren’t the only one who can’t find your missing puzzle piece.