Zach B. - Parent

Zach is a new father who, like many parents, has had to navigate the challenges of securing child care. His child attends daycare three days a week—not by choice, but because full-time care simply isn’t available. The waitlists are already well over a year long, and even then, availability is inconsistent. There’s no guarantee of care for a full week or even on specific days—it all depends on what spots open up, creating uncertainty for working parents.

This lack of stability was a huge surprise to Zach. As he learned more, he realized the root of the issue: a widespread workforce shortage in the child care industry. The difficulty in retaining staff, combined with the education and qualifications required for the job, means that many providers struggle to keep up with demand. He was shocked to learn how little early educators are paid, despite the critical role they play in children’s development and in keeping families afloat.

Fortunately, Zach and his partner have a support system—his child’s grandparents step in to care for their son on the days he isn’t in daycare. He acknowledges how lucky they are, recognizing that many families don’t have that option. “I can’t imagine what our situation would look like if we didn’t have our parents to help,” he says.

Even with this support, balancing work and child care remains a challenge. Their daycare is only accessible for parents/caregivers who work during the day, which isn’t practical for parents with non-traditional work schedules. To make it work, Zach and his partner have had to adjust their working hours to ensure they can pick up their son on time.