“WE HIRE!”
“HIRING”
“HELP WANTED”
These are just some of the signs that can be seen all over the United States of America at the moment.
Many businesses, large and small, are desperately trying to get workers, especially for the holiday season. Some are even offering bonuses in the hundreds or in the thousands.
And yet, they’re not able to fill these positions.
All of this is happening while thousands of adults (mostly women), perfectly capable of working, have to stay at home taking care of their kids.
They would gladly get a job if there was someone who can take care of their children while they work.
The obvious solution?
A preschool.
The problem?
It’s too freaking expensive!
The average cost in the USA ranges from $4,460 to $13,158 per year ($372 to $1,100 monthly), according to the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA).
For many parents, having only one child in preschool is more expensive than their rent or their mortgage. And with two children, it may be pointless to make any cost-benefit analysis. The only thing the parents can do is see which of them has a lower salary and simply quit to take care of the children.
And that’s what many families are doing.
It’s pointless to work and not be able to see your kids because you are going to work, and then send the paycheck directly to the preschool while you are left with empty pockets. What’s the point in that?
Free or even just more affordable child care could solve the problems those parents face, but not only their problems but the problems the whole country faces.
With the kids in preschool more people will be able to work while someone else takes care of their children, which will take care of the problem many businesses have – to find workers. This will boost the economic activity of the nation with higher revenues of companies and more money in the pockets of Americans that later they will spend in those businesses, further boosting the economy.
The benefit for the kids would be enormous too. More socialization between them, more things they can learn that can prepare them for school, learning habits and routines from an early age…
And if the cost of child-care becomes something people shouldn’t be afraid of, more people will choose to have kids, or have more than 1 child, which will solve another problem the USA will have in the future – shrinking population and shortage of workers.
So, if there are so many benefits, why are so many people against Biden’s nearly $2 trillion social spending bill which includes $400 billion for universal preschool for 3 and 4 year olds and affordable child care as well as an extension of the child tax credit through 2022, plus a paid family leave provision?
There are already so many countries that have solved this problem better, and no, we are not talking about socialist Venezuela here.
Many of the most developed countries have free programs and/or low-cost options for child-care.
High(er) taxes?
First of all, Biden has pledged to fully pay for all of this through tax increases on high earners and corporations, savings in government spending on prescription drugs and additional revenues the I.R.S. would collect from tax cheats.
Second thing is – Americans are already paying a lot of money in taxes each year. Even if Biden’s plan to pay for all of this is not good or not honest or doesn’t go by plan… there are some other areas where the government can make cuts in order for this to work.
It only takes some willpower…
So, with Republicans strongly opposing this plan and even a few Democrats joining them, the question is who the hell would benefit from kids not being in preschool?!
Who are those lobbyists who are pushing that agenda? Do they represent the companies that are struggling to find workers? Are they opposing a plan that can give them workers? Are they opposing a plan that can give them future workers? Are they opposing a plan that can bring smiles to our nation’s children’s faces?
Written by: Jovan Postoloski