Both my husband and I work and we have two daughters. For a long time I stayed at home because there wasn't any job that would pay me enough to work and have my kids in day care. Finally, I did find a job but it took me awhile to find a quality provider that was dependable. I do pay a little bit extra to have my children there but it's given me peace of mind.
It takes half of my paycheck to pay for my child care -- I see it as an investment for my children but it's definitely hard. I had an idea about how expensive it was going to be, so I really had to wait for a job opportunity that would make it work and even now it's a stretch. You start to feel like is this even worth it?
In Massachusetts, the cost of child care for a two-parent, middle-class family averages 16% of their annual income. In Mississippi, costs average 7.3%. See how your state ranks.
