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Original poster

The cost of childcare

119 replies

user1487755366 · 21/01/2022 20:24

I know this has been done to death but the cost of childcare is out of control. I have twin one year olds who go to nursery 3 days a week. It’s killing us and the price is only going up again in April.

When will something be done about this? My job doesn’t cover it and I’ve had to take extra work on out of hours to cover costs. We have no local family support.
I don’t know what this aibu is for but I guess some advice or solidarity would be nice.

OP posts:
TearifficTaz · 21/01/2022 20:26

Well this is why many think ahead and save before trying to conceive

Not sure why this is a surprise, child care costs have always been expensive.

Liverbird77 · 21/01/2022 20:28

I have a three year old and an 18 month old. Zero support. I am staying at home for the foreseeable, husband is working full time. It's not forever.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 21/01/2022 20:28

@TearifficTaz

Well this is why many think ahead and save before trying to conceive

Not sure why this is a surprise, child care costs have always been expensive.

Most people don't plan on twins.

In hopefully a more helpful tone.....

Have you ran yours and dh income and childcare costs through an Entitled.to type website to check you are claiming what you can?

Do you and dh both do tax free childcare?

Have you costed a Childminder or a Nanny?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Childcare & nursery Families
Lovewinemorethanhusband · 21/01/2022 20:29

@TearifficTaz

Well this is why many think ahead and save before trying to conceive

Not sure why this is a surprise, child care costs have always been expensive.

So so helpful, I'm sure that Op planned for twins ! Childcare cost is awful, are you making the most of the tax free childcare ? I know it sounds odd but can you drop a day at work so not paying as many days ? Or do longer days so yes they are there for a long day but only 2 days rather than 3 ? It's tough but there is light at the end of the tunnel
HardbackWriter · 21/01/2022 20:29

@TearifficTaz

Well this is why many think ahead and save before trying to conceive

Not sure why this is a surprise, child care costs have always been expensive.

Well that's helpful isn't it? I would guess that the OP didn't know she would have twins.
Original poster
user1487755366 · 21/01/2022 20:29

@TearifficTaz

Well this is why many think ahead and save before trying to conceive

Not sure why this is a surprise, child care costs have always been expensive.

Sorry I forgot to budget for twins.
OP posts:
TearifficTaz · 21/01/2022 20:30

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 21/01/2022 20:32

I had Dd1 then twins. I’d say, it’s actually for a very short time. From age 3 it’s subsidised a lot then they start school. We’re out the other end with 10 yo twins and dh now works from home and Dd1 is 14 so can help a bit after school.

Howshouldibehave · 21/01/2022 20:32

When will something be done about this?

I don’t think anything will ever be ‘done’ about it, tbh.

FloatyBoaty · 21/01/2022 20:32

@TearifficTaz

Do you feel better now? Have you scratched that itch to feel superior?

Also don’t lie.

You didn’t budget for twins.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 21/01/2022 20:32

[quote TearifficTaz]@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Most with any sense plan for many eventualities whilst remaining practical[/quote]
Given that twin pregnancies account for roughly half a percent of pregnancies, I'd argue that most people don't plan for / save up / anticipate twin childcare costs.

TearifficTaz · 21/01/2022 20:34

[quote FloatyBoaty]@TearifficTaz

Do you feel better now? Have you scratched that itch to feel superior?

Also don’t lie.

You didn’t budget for twins.[/quote]
Of course I budgeted for all eventualities

Including DH losing his job, me not being able to go back to work, more than one baby or costs of care inflating a crazy amount while expecting.

It's called thinking ahead, sad not many are able to do that.

yoyo1234 · 21/01/2022 20:34

I second another poster about condensing your hours so you maybe able to have a day less childcare. If you both did this then you could have 2x full time wages with 3 days childcare required?

iloveorange · 21/01/2022 20:35

@TearifficTaz

Well this is why many think ahead and save before trying to conceive

Not sure why this is a surprise, child care costs have always been expensive.

I disagree so much with this view! Why is there free public schooling but not public nurseries?

OP also has twins, which means it's twice the cost, and it's not like she had years to plan ahead of time (even if we're assuming a planned pregnancy, which might not be the case).

The issue with this is that this is forcing a lot of women to become SAHM even if that wouldn't be their preference if they could afford to work. There's nothing wrong with choosing to stay at home with your kids, but there is something really problematic about low-key forcing women to stay at home with their kids, which unfortunately is what the current system does.

There's no point in trying to promote equal pay and opportunity in the workplace and job market as well as maternity and childbirth if in the end someone mothers have to stay at home for three years because working (for a salary) is more expensive than not working (for a salary).

ZoeTheThornyDevil · 21/01/2022 20:35

The only thing that could be done, really, is to raise taxes to allow for greater subsidy. Childcare settings already run on very narrow margins and childcare staff are paid min wage in most cases. And I don't really see a lot of political will for greater subsidies.

The funding at 3yo is pretty generous by most standards.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 21/01/2022 20:35

It's called thinking ahead, sad not many are able to do that

Sad because they didn't think to do it or sad that they cannot afford to save thousands of pounds for a potential set of twins to be in childcare?

TearifficTaz · 21/01/2022 20:36

@iloveorange

Christ alive, do you really not see the difference between free schooling and free child care?

School isn't just to save parents money and look after them. It's to educate. Hence why that's free and childcare is not

yoyo1234 · 21/01/2022 20:37

How many hours do you do the days you work?

TearifficTaz · 21/01/2022 20:37

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

It's called thinking ahead, sad not many are able to do that

Sad because they didn't think to do it or sad that they cannot afford to save thousands of pounds for a potential set of twins to be in childcare?

Both

The world would be a far better place if everyone thought ahead before trying for children but alas. The feckless will always be present in modern society

Original poster
user1487755366 · 21/01/2022 20:37

@yoyo1234

I second another poster about condensing your hours so you maybe able to have a day less childcare. If you both did this then you could have 2x full time wages with 3 days childcare required?
Unfortunately that’s not possible in our line of work. Nanny extortionate - we costed this Childminder would probably be a touch cheaper but I’m loathe to uproot them from their nursery as they are so happy and settled here.

Yes to tax free childcare.
I’m just having a rant really. Childcare costs are hugely subsidised on the continent as well as support for multiples.
TearifficTaz…don’t know where to start with you….

OP posts:
Hankunamatata · 21/01/2022 20:38

We saved a bit. Budgeted that my wage plus some dh would go on childcare esp when we had 3 in daycare. We worked out we could live frugally on the rest until started school

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 21/01/2022 20:39

TearifficTaz

Ah, OK. So no one should TTC unless they can afford to put quintuplets through full time childcare whilst recovering from the loss if their husband and being made redundant.....

Gotcha

iloveorange · 21/01/2022 20:40

[quote TearifficTaz]@iloveorange

Christ alive, do you really not see the difference between free schooling and free child care?

School isn't just to save parents money and look after them. It's to educate. Hence why that's free and childcare is not[/quote]
Again, I disagree. There is a lot of learning to be done at nursery stage, and I benefited massively from going to nursery at 6 months old, on many levels.

Of course I grew up in a different country where nursery is available for free and not a luxury, otherwise one of my parents would have had to stay at home.

ecoanxiety · 21/01/2022 20:40

Don't listen to that idiotic comment.
And you are allowed to have children without being able to afford childcare, ypu would have to stop half of the population from reproducing if you weren't.

I can't afford childcare to work. None of my family can and i don't know any one that can. I know 2 working mothers and they both have parents to help with childcare and housing It is the luck of the draw.

It is out of control and the government should be subsidising the costs because mostly the costs are more than rent and its no wonder lots of women don't go back after having a baby.
When I asked around for prices I was shocked to find that childcare would have cost me £90 a day. That's £450 a week for five full days of childcare. Who earns that?
£1800 a month.
How can that even be? yanbu

MissMinutes24 · 21/01/2022 20:41

Read this - it's about America but most of it is very applicable to the UK

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-11-18/biden-s-build-back-better-wants-to-save-america-s-child-care-business

It costs a lot of money to keep small children safe is the long and short of it.