Priced out; Rising child care costs push families to find workarounds

SPOKANE, Wash. — When inflation is mentioned, many people think of rising goods, including groceries. However, for families across Washington state, the soaring cost of services—particularly child care—is taking the biggest toll.

Child care in Washington ranks among the most expensive in the country, leaving many parents struggling to keep up.

In recent years, child care costs have significantly outpaced overall inflation rates, forcing families to seek alternative solutions. The cracks in the system were visible before the pandemic, but now, they have split wide open.

“It feels sometimes suffocating because it sometimes feels like there’s truly no option,” said Kate Carpenter, a mother of two.

Like other businesses, child care centers are facing rising costs for essentials like gas and groceries. On top of that, an increased minimum wage means higher operating expenses, a reality that owners like Kerra Bower of Little Scholars Development Center are grappling with.

“You have to be able to hire individuals that are able and capable, having the skill set to do that, and that costs a little bit more,” Bower said.

The average Washington family now spends more on child care than on college tuition or housing. As prices climb, parents are getting creative.

For Jennifer Macias Morris, the solution was bringing her mother from Oregon to help.

“It’s been such a great experience for us having her there, and not everyone gets that, so I know I need to appreciate it,” she said.

Carpenter has found a different approach—trading babysitting shifts with friends.

“She’s gonna watch my kid, I’m gonna watch her kid for a couple of hours, so we trade off. Just a lot of favors back and forth,” she said.

For some, leaving the workforce entirely has been the best financial decision.

“Moms specifically, we are really resourceful. We are finding ways to make income at home, we are finding ways to make it sustainable,” Carpenter added.

Eligible families can apply for the Working Connections Child Care program, which helps cover a portion of child care costs each month.