Child care crisis

On Sept. 4, when asked about ways to lower the cost of day care, JD Vance said: “One of the ways you might be able to relieve a little bit of pressure on people who are paying so much for day care is make it so that, maybe, grandma and grandpa want to help out a little bit more.”

As grandparents ourselves, we know this cannot be the full answer. While we love caring for our granddaughter and know she benefits from our support, not every child is fortunate enough to have grandparents to support caregiving. Many grandparents do not live nearby, or they may still be working themselves. We need to invest in our childcare infrastructure.

High-quality childcare costs an average of $12,000 per child each year. That means millions of parents across America cannot afford the childcare they need. To make matters worse, there has been a decline in childcare providers of up to 12% since 2023. That means even if Granite State families can find care, it’s highly likely they will struggle to afford it.

Kids who participate in quality early education programs have higher high school graduation rates and go on to earn more than their peers who did not receive quality early education.

On Grandparents’ Day, Sept. 8 we recognized the invaluable role grandparents play in our communities as caregivers, leaders and role models. This November we have the opportunity to reaffirm the importance of child wellbeing and recommit to voting for kids.

Nancy and David Tothill

Center Barnstead