[pseudobry]

Sometimes I think childcare isn't expensive at all. There are these creatures I've nearly sacrificed my sanity for during their infant years, maybe got diminished mental capacity due to lack of sleep, given blood, sweat, tears, would risk life and limb for them...and here I go giving a total stranger $20/hour to (hopefully) do that in my stead for a short while.

[giarc]

I agree... we pay a dayhome (a licensed childcare in someone's home) $875/month which includes 9 hours of care per day and 3'ish meals per day. That's like $40/day or like $4/hour. Where else are you going to get that value?!

[JustSomeNobody]

The median household income in the US is $59K. Paying $875/month isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination.

What value.

[giarc]

$875 is in Canadian dollars in a large urban city.

I stand by my comment that $4/hour childcare is good value. Please show me somewhere in North America where that is expensive.

[kelnos]

No one is claiming that paying that is easy for everyone, merely that taking care of someone for 9 hours a day, including meals, for $40/day is actually ridiculously cheap. I can't think of many (any?) services I could pay for that would cost a mere $4/hr for labor+materials.

[JustSomeNobody]

Shame the person earning that can’t afford their own childcare.

[giarc]

You'd actually be surprised that most at home daycare providers choose that profession. Most typically have their own child and decide to also take in a few other children to make extra money. I ran a startup in this field and worked with many dayhome providers. Some do it as their career, some do it for a few years while their children are young and they would like to stay home and be with them.