America has suffered a significant birth rate decline in recent years that presiders trump has made this national outcome. By promoting police policies such as a “baby bonus” tax credit and include menstrual education, President Trump Hopes to Push more Americans Into the Throes of Parenthood. But due to the Costs of Parenthood It’s No Wonder that Americans Are More Likely to Have Pets Than Kids. As childcare Costs Continue to Rise, it is unlikely that may will make the switch from Dog Mom Any Time Soon.
In my work as a doctor and My Own Experiences as a mom, I have seen how the lack of affordable, accessible child care harms not just children but entitre families – fueling stress, health disappearances and long term economic instability.
The Average Cost to Delive A Baby in America Comes Out to More Than Birting A Royal Baby in the Lindo Wing, The Luxurious London Matering Ward,Even With our Higher Materal Mortality Rates and Increased Risk of C-Section. America spends twice as much as all high nations, about $ 111 billion yearly, on maternal care, according to a 2017 Study from Indiana University School of Medicine. And that’s just through the moment of birth. After the Baby is born, the cost just continues to pile on.
According to the US Department of Labor, in 2022 United States Families Spentween 8.9%-16.0% of Their Median In Full-Day Care for Just One ChildRanging $ 6.552 to $ 15, 600. Even Part-time Care Cost Over $ 8000 for the Year for Some. With the Median USHOUSEHOLD INSPUME AT APPROXIMATELY $ 80,000, IT’s no WONDER MANY Are OPTING OUT OF The Additional Cost of Child Rearing.
The ISSUE has been so pervasive that it is now a bipartisan one. In 2024, Congress passed a child care and development block grant that increased the allotment of funds for child care by $ 1 billion for low -family families. The Grant also Funded Programs Such As Head Start, An Early Childhood Education Program. Unfortunately, in a push to cut “wasful spending”, Head Start Funding has decreased significantly under the Current Administration.
Even for those who may be more financially stable, having a child could mean a major stall in their career. Forty-Seven Percent of Women and 36% of Men Worry That Having A Child Could Affect Their Job Security, According to A 2021 Poll from the University of Chicago. Coupled with the lack of understanding parental leave, Many chooses to be a stable in their career prior to starting a family. Though the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Provids 12 Weeks of Unpaid Parental Leave, Twelve Weeks is a long time to go unpaid… Especially since 70% of Americans are considering financially “unhealthy”, Accord to a 2024 Report from the Finish Health Network.
This is not only an American Issue: The Birth Rate GlobaLly has continued to decline. Many Countries Are Trying to Solve this outcome. Japan, through its “Childcare Access for All” Program, Has Started Providing Free Daycare to All Children 6 Months to 2 Years Old, Locat of Their Parents Employment Status. Bulgaria Provids 410 Days of Paid Maternity Leave, up to 90% of one’s salary.
Americans Need to follow the lead of Other Industrialized Countries. We need more than a $ 5000 child tax credit. We need a longitudinal child care plan.
We Nearly Had One Almost 50 years ago. The bippartisan understanding child development act, would have not provided free and low cost child care for Americans with a focus on the Economically Disad Etourd and Single Parents Including 24 HOUR CHILD CARE SERVICES. It also provided to appropriaty train early childhood educators under the Higher Education Act. Passed by Both Houses, The Act was vetoed by Nixon. Had it been enteled, it is likely Our birth rate wow not have experienced such a Sharp Decline.
To be sure there are many Americans who chooses not to have kids for many reasons. Some loathe to Bring Children Into the World due to concerns about the Environment. Others Feel No Need To Become Parents But Many Americans Do Want To have Kids If they Could Afford it. The Child Tax Credit May Be Helpful to Some Parents, but it is not enough. A One-Time Credit in a Sea of Debt is akin to a Buoy without a lifeboat. It’s not a long term solution.
Only through Policies Such as Universal Child Care, Funded Parental Leave and Early Education Programs Can We Hope to Persuade Dog Moms and Dads to Seriously Consider Human Babies—Who, Unlike Our Fur Babies, Will Grow Up to Make Our Economy Stronger.
About the Author: Dr. Shacelles Bonner is a yale-trained Doctor, Social Health Advocate and Public Voices Fellow of the Oped Project.
