People ask if I'm sad my son started kindergarten. After $87,000 in day care bills, I'm celebrating.
A working mother shares her relief at the financial savings gained after her son transitions from expensive private day care to public kindergarten. She highlights the significant burden of childcare costs on middle-class families.
Why it matters
Highlights the ongoing economic struggle of childcare affordability in the United States and its impact on household financial planning.
Mesha Griffith is excited for her son to start kindergarten so she won't have to pay astronomical prices for pre-K. Courtesy of Mesha Griffith Mesha Griffith is a children's book author and full-time working mom of one son in Columbus, Ohio. She spent over $87,000 on childcare costs over five years. Not needing to pay $1,500 each month, she and her husband plan to "bump up" their savings. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mesha Griffith . It has been edited for length and clarity. In the middle of August, I dropped my 5-year-old son, Ellington, off for his first day of kindergarten . Since then, people have been asking whether I feel sad about it, about my little boy growing up and leaving day care behind . In response, I usually look at them and nearly laugh.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in