7 Ways to Find Childcare on a Budget
Note: The real solution to the childcare crisis is better policies. The U.S. is one of the only industrialized countries without mandated paid parental leave. In addition, most other wealthy nations provide some form of ongoing childcare support. If you live in the U.S., you can find contact information for your representatives and senators at Congress.gov to let them know your thoughts about this issue.
Are you trying to find ways to keep working without putting your kids in daycare? Maybe your employer has mandated that everyone go back to work in the office. Or maybe you’re looking for work and need childcare while you interview. There are plenty of reasons why working parents might try to avoid traditional childcare arrangements.
Maybe there is a scarcity of qualified daycares in your area, or all your preferred choices are full right now. Perhaps you can’t afford childcare on your salary, or you just can’t stand the thought of leaving your child with a stranger while you toil away at your job all day. While daycare can be a great option for many, for whatever reason, it just doesn’t work out for some parents.
There are two primary reasons for people to get creative when searching for childcare: cost and availability. In nine states, the average cost of childcare is over $20,000 a year, while 20% of families spend over $36,000 a year. In 38 states and Washington, DC, childcare costs more than college. Overall, the national average is $10,500 per year.
Taking care of the home and family continues to be the leading reason mothers don’t participate in the labor force, with 58% of parents (and 79% of women) surveyed reporting needing to be home for home and family care as the reason they left the workforce.
Here are six ways you can still do your job without relying on a spot to open up at the local daycare center. Better yet, the last two ways won’t cost you a dime, just the willingness to ask for help and lend a hand in return.
7 Creative Childcare Solutions
1. In-Home Daycare
This is the most reliable, and unfortunately, expensive, of the options listed. It is still considered daycare, but it’s usually smaller and less institution-like than daycare centers. People opt for this kind of setting because it feels more familiar and comforting than those big centers, more like dropping your child off for a play date than for a school day.
Keep in mind, however, that many in-home daycare businesses have closed since the pandemic, so it might be a challenge to find one. Check out Care.com and Sitter.com for options in your area, or ask around in your neighborhood or office to find out if anyone else uses one. There’s nothing like getting another parent’s first-hand recommendation to put your mind at ease when handing off your little ones.
2. Share Care With Other Parents
If you have a friend or family member with little kids and childcare needs like yours, you can pool your resources and hire a caregiver together. It will be cheaper for you both to pay one person to watch your little ones than it will be for you each to hire someone separately.
3. Bring Baby to Work
Some employers offer on-site daycare for employees. Others have partnerships with facilities for daycare or backup care. Make sure to find out what kind of childcare options your employer provides. If they don’t offer any, maybe it’s time to think about a switch to a company that does.
In addition, some communities offer coworking spaces for freelancers with daycare provided. A couple of examples are Wiggles & Work in Los Angeles, CA, and Workplayce in New York City. If you’re a freelancer, it’s worth looking into whether or not there is a space like this in your community.
4. Drop-In Care
It can take some juggling, but drop-in care is an option for at least some of the time. Many YMCAs have programs where your child can play for an hour or two while you can get some work done.
5. Work While Kids Play
Some libraries have a children’s playroom and free wifi, and there are work/play cafes with tables for working and play areas for the kids. (Note, however, that libraries are not childcare – the librarian won’t watch your kids for you while you work.)
6. Babysitting Coops
A babysitting coop is an arrangement among a group of local parents in which they swap childcare with each other. If your neighborhood is full of young kids like yours, then you might ask around to see if anyone is interested in starting a coop. If you are new to the area or live in a neighborhood without many kids, websites like Care.com and SittingAround.com can be great places to start.
7. Friends and Family
If you’re lucky enough to have family in the area, they can be a terrific resource for free child care. Grandma and Grandpa might jump at the chance to spend time with their grandchildren while you’re at work. It’s a win-win for you both: you get free child care, and they get extra hugs.
Childcare is tricky. You’re trusting your most precious asset to someone else while you work. And as if that isn’t scary enough, finding quality child care can be daunting. Exploring these options can help you decide the best childcare solution for your family, budget, and peace of mind.
This guest column was contributed by Meghan Hubley Bourque. Meghan is a freelance writer, cake artist, and mom to three kids (and one dog).
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