Imagine paying more for your baby’s child care than for a year of college tuition. That’s the reality for parents in Tennessee, where the average annual cost for infant care in 2024 was $13,126. For comparison, in-state tuition at the University of Tennessee was only a few hundred dollars more, at $13,484.
It’s official: child care costs are out of control, and families are drowning. According to the Tennessee State of the Child Report reported in The Tennessean, child care is now the biggest household expense for many families—more than rent or even a mortgage. It’s no wonder half of Tennessee households with children said it was “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult” to cover their weekly expenses last year.
Why this is a huge problem
Let’s be real: this isn’t just an issue for parents in Tennessee—it’s part of a much bigger problem. Across the U.S., child care costs have skyrocketed, putting families under intense financial pressure. A 2021 report by Child Care Aware of America found that in 34 states, the price of infant care was higher than in-state college tuition. We are making life incredibly difficult for families at a time when they are just starting out. And it’s stressing families beyond the breaking point.
Here’s how it’s impacting families:
- Savings are getting wiped out. Parents are spending so much on child care that there’s nothing left for long-term goals like buying a home, saving for college (ironically), or even taking a vacation.
- Mental health is taking a hit. When you’re constantly stressed about money, it impacts your well-being—and your ability to be the parent you want to be.
- Birth rates are dropping. More people are saying, “We can’t afford a second kid,” or even “We can’t afford any kids.” A Pew Research Center survey found that financial instability is a top reason adults are having fewer (or no) children.
Related: ‘My salary doesn’t cover daycare’: A mom’s viral TikTok highlights the need to rethink childcare costs
Why this matters for moms
As usual, moms are feeling the brunt of this crisis. Many are forced to leave their jobs because paying for child care eats up most (or all) of their income. And when moms step away from work, it’s not just about losing today’s paycheck—it’s about losing career growth, retirement savings, and future earning potential.
It’s also a vicious cycle: moms leave the workforce because of child care costs, and then their families have even less money to cover those costs. And let’s not forget the gender wage gap, which isn’t closing anytime soon when moms are pushed out of their careers.
Related: Childcare costs are impacting every aspect of moms’ lives
So, what can be done?
The current system is broken, but there are real solutions. Here’s what needs to happen:
- Expand financial support for parents. Programs like child care subsidies and tax credits (remember the expanded Child Tax Credit in 2021?) have been shown to help families big time. Let’s bring them back and make them even better.
- Subsidize child care—like life depends on it. Look at countries across the world like in France where child care is heavily subsidized by the government. Families there spend a fraction of their income on care, and it shows up in increased wellbeing for families.
- Flexible work policies. More employers need to step up and offer remote work, flexible hours, or on-site child care to help parents balance it all.
- Make child care part of public education. Universal pre-K and affordable early childhood education should be a no-brainer. Investing in kids early benefits everyone in the long run.
Let’s change the conversation
Here’s the truth: child care isn’t just a “mom problem.” It’s a society problem. If we want a stronger, healthier future, we need to prioritize parents and kids now. That means treating child care as essential infrastructure—like schools, roads, and hospitals—not as a luxury only some can afford.
For families to thrive, we need bold action. Let’s support moms, invest in kids, and stop pretending this is something families should have to figure out on their own.
