Why do families in America need free child care? This is because there are so many dual-income families. The dual-income family is usual in almost every country. Of course, having both parents in workplace is inevitable choice among families in the United states as well.
Women’s participation in workplace is one reason why the dual-income family is increasing among families. Women are rare in workplace in the past, yet participation of women in public affairs is increasing now; they have been released from the stereotype that houseworks are women’s duty. Naturally, the number of housewives decreases. Accordingly, more men change their role in family from making living money to housekeeping. However, not many couples exchange their role each other; housewife to businesswoman and businessman to househusband. Instead, both of them want to achieve social success although they have young kids. Unavoidably, they decide to send their children to child care.
Economical reason is another reason why many both wives and husbands decide to work for affording living expenses. As the living expenses are more and more increasing, making money alone in family is not enough to supporting whole family. Both parents need to earn money together, so their children are left without parental care. As a result, children need to another caregiver instead of their parents, so parents send their kids to child care.
Unfortunately, the cost of child care is pretty expensive. Thus, affording child care cost is becoming another burden of family, especially to low-income family. The dual-income family can make more money than the single-income family, but the dual-income family should pay child care cost. In short, they might spend a lot of money on child care.
Then should government provide free child care? Yes, they should in order to relieve the burden of families, especially for low-income family. Furthermore, it can resolve the problem of wealth inequality by giving free child care to the family. However, providing free child care broadly in many states of America is not easy because of the reasons such as costs for practicing the policy and problem relating to labor. Also, even the families who do not need free child care can take advantage of the policy, then the purpose of it can be implemented ineffectively; the family who really need free child care cannot receive the benefit of it. As a result, more money is necessary to maintain the policy, and national budget also increases. However, national budget comes from taxes. After all, rising taxes can be burden of family. Thus, government should run the policy effectively without wasting money.
Also, the issue of free child care focuses on expediency of adults. Nevertheless growth environment is important to growing children, the kids of dual-income families lacks of parental care, which is crucial environment for children. Besides, the quality of free child care is hard to be good. Children are the next generation to lead world in the future. Accordingly, raising young generation greatly is much more significant problem than solving economical problem. Therefore, government should provide the free child care policy for children not only for their parents.
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ReplyDeleteOops I accidentally deleted my comment earlier when I was trying to edit it. xP ^^^^
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Hyeseong An makes some great points arguing for free child care.
The first point about women coming into the workforce is an absolute fact. There have been extraordinary leaps in women's rights, allowing for many more women to work alongside and equally with men. Due to both the mother and father having jobs, it may prove more difficult to take care of children, which may cause the parents to spend extra money in providing child care services.
I also agree a lot with the economical reasoning for providing free child care. As we know, the rich are getting richer, while everyone else either gets poorer or tends to stagnate in wealth. Obviously this is a huge issue. Since the majority of the U.S. population is in the middle class or lower, parents will have to be working longer hours or more jobs in order to keep up with the growing prices. I'm not sure that by implementing free child care, it would "resolve the problem of wealth inequality" , but I do think it would give families some sort of financial breathing room, as I would call it. Basically, it would save them a good amount of money.
Towards the end of this commentary, there are some statements regarding how the national budget, which is derived from the tax we pay everyday, should be spent on providing free child care to the citizens of the United States. This affirms Hyeseong's position towards this subject, and I have to say that I completely support this proposition, and here's why. In certain countries around the world, they offer many free benefits to their citizens such as health care, education, and even child care.Granted, the tax rates are generally a bit higher, but the fact that these taxes are going to the benefit of the public shows that it is a completely possible goal to achieve. I personally think that the reason why free child care has not been implemented right now is because the taxes we pay are being spent on the wrong things, maybe such as the military, or really anything else that doesn't benefit the people, and even though Hyeseong An doesn't directly say this, I can derive this message from this argument.
Overall, I am in complete support with most of what is being said here. The cost of living has been increasing over the years, and this includes the costs of taking care of a child. If we can introduce free childcare, we can improve living conditions for millions, and save people a lot of money. Like she said, "Children are the next generation to lead [the] world in the future". Anyone who denies this is crazy. If we can set the next generation on the right path, then the future can and will be a little brighter.
I totally agree with free child care, as myself I am a single parent having to include child care as an expense so that I am able to attend school and work throughout the week. I've tried going to through different programs that can provide free or lower cost for daycare but it the downfall is always wait lists are up to 1+ years or they have limited funding. I feel like the spaces being filled are families who take advantage of the free benefits leaving those who truly need them having to make other means to get by. Luckily I have a family friend who is able to work with my income and able to provide the daycare services. With it being an in home daycare there's good but also bad that goes alone with it. The good is that I know who is taking care of my daughter and she knows that I am a single mother who is a student and goes work so my income is lower. The bad thing is that some days she has to close down the day care making me either have to miss work or find someone to take of my daughter during the hours I work or attend school. Also my daughter doesn't get the full benefit of being with other children her age, and develop full routines that will get her ready for school. I feel that daycare expenses increase for month to month. I've constantly called trying to put her in a daycare but seems like the prices have only increased, and they are not willing to work with low-income families.
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