It's Been a Minute Kids are expensive. Do they have to be?
Nov 24, 2025
Jessica Calarco, a sociology professor focusing on family policy, and Elliot Haspel, a senior fellow analyzing childcare economics, dive into the skyrocketing costs of childcare, equating them to rent. They explore the historical context, including WWII's childcare programs and how governmental policies have shaped perceptions of care. Market failures and cultural distrust complicate the issue, while the guests argue that better childcare is key to stronger communities and gender equity in the workforce. They highlight the urgent need for systemic change to improve access and affordability.
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U.S. Once Had Widespread Public Child Care
- The U.S. once funded universal child care during World War II using Lanham Act defense dollars.
- Those centers were popular and low-cost, showing public care can be affordable and effective.
Child Care’s Cost Is Structural, Not Greed
- Child care is inherently labor-intensive and cannot be cheaply scaled without sacrificing quality.
- Paying caregivers well and maintaining low ratios makes the service expensive by necessity.
Child Care Functions Like A Broken Market
- Child care is a market failure because it can't be affordable, high-quality, and well-paid simultaneously.
- That failure makes child care a 'hot potato' that gets shifted onto families and vulnerable workers.