and other pro-caretaker policies. But to address the full scope of this crisis will require government action. There’s no way around it. In the long list of policy points that define that action, the most obvious is increased pay for these essential workers, along with tax credits and subsidies to make care more affordable.
Still, government action hinges on a cultural shift toward valuing care. This work — performed almost entirely by women, disproportionately women of color and immigrant women — was undervalued and underpaid before the pandemic turned our world upside down. If you Frisbee’d snacks at your children while you led a conference call or, worse, had to reduce your hours or leave your job to care for children, you understand the value of this work more intimately than most.
Addressing the child care crisis will determine if parents and specifically mothers are able to return to work, if low- and middle-income parents have the time necessary to build skills that enable mobility and if we are a country that invests in our next generation. The future of child care is the future of our country.Alicia Menendez is the host of American Voices, which airs weekends 6-8pmET on MSNBC.
AliciaMenendez Why can't we just supply basic maintenance so that a parent can choose to stay home w/ their children until they are in school?
AliciaMenendez There are over 16,000,000 Americans actually unemployed. Make them babysit in order to keep collecting unemployment benefits. MAGA2022 Trump2024 KAG4Eva