The War on Working Parents

Working parents are in crisis right now. And at the root of it? Systems that penalize working parents, by pretending that we still live in societies where one parent (usually the mother) is on call at home. Childcare in the US is a prime example of this. It costs as much as a second mortgage. The waitlists are ridiculous. And that's assuming you don't live in one of the "childcare deserts" where licensed daycare is more than an hour away. For many parents, the stress of juggling work and care is reaching a breaking point. A new report from Care.com reveals just how bad it's gotten: Families spend an average of 40% of their household income on childcare 90% of parents say they've lost sleep over care challenges Nearly a third of parents have considered suicide or self-harm due to caregiving stress (!!!) Statistics like these reveal just how bad working parents are suffering right now.  If it feels like a war against working parents…well, you're not wrong. In this episode, we take a hard look at why the system feels rigged against working parents, and what we can learn from other countries that do it differently.  Because other countries have managed to find solutions that support—not punish—working parents.   What You'll Learn:  Why the U.S. used to have a national daycare system—and how it disappeared overnight How countries in Asia and Europe approach caregiving infrastructure, and how culture supports – or wages war on – working parents What you can do to push for better policies—and protect your career in the meantime. The way we structure care isn't inevitable. It's a choice.  And it's time for change. For more information, visit The Mental Offload.