Ever since I was little, my dream has been to be a stay-at-home mother to as many children as I could have. When I finally had my first child, I was not prepared for the many financial dilemmas that came with it.
My family’s financial situation did not give me the option to choose whether to be a stay-at-home mom or return to work, as both my husband’s and my incomes were needed to make ends meet, despite us both having college degrees.
I was privileged to have some paid maternity leave; however, my husband got one week before he had to be back at work.
We then found that the daycare we found would cost more than our monthly rent. Any family or friends we had who might have helped with childcare also had full-time jobs.
As we navigated these struggles, it became clear that, from a financial perspective, we likely would not be able to have any more children soon, if at all.
Utah often prides itself as a family-friendly state; however, it lacks the policies and support that families need to have children.
Utah’s birth rate has been declining along with the rest of the country, and many changes are needed to support the economy and community in reversing the trend.
As I see it, there are three main issues Utahns face when having and raising children: wages that do not keep up with the cost of living, the lack of paid parental leave, and the lack of accessible and affordable childcare.
When I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 2019, the job I got started at just under $16 per hour. Utah’s minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. These types of wages are not enough to comfortably support a family in Utah. This leaves us with people working full-time jobs, sometimes making too much to qualify for government assistance, but not enough to make ends meet. This is not a problem founded on a lack of education or a lack of hard work. It’s a problem with our society and economy.
The lack of paid parental leave is also a barrier for Utah children and families. About 69% of Utahns do not have access to paid parental leave. If unpaid leave is an option, it is not a realistic solution for many families living paycheck-to-paycheck who cannot afford to give up their income, even if their job is secure.
The average annual childcare cost for an infant in Utah is $11,232 — or $936 per month. While subsidies are available for some low-income families, they do not meet the needs of the entire community. If it’s recommended that a family spend 7% of their income on childcare, they would need to earn $160,457 annually to comfortably afford daycare for one infant in Utah. In addition to the high cost of daycare, 77% of Utahns live in a childcare desert, where there are either no daycare providers or more than three times as many children as daycare spots.
Utah’s taxpayer dollars need to be reinvested into the people to help grow and strengthen the economy. Government assistance programs can be expanded to provide increased daycare subsidies and work towards universal free childcare. Laws can be passed requiring companies to provide paid parental leave and raise the minimum wage. Tax reform is needed to bridge the wealth gap and provide additional funds to cover the cost of increased childcare subsidies. If more Utahns have access to affordable, accessible daycare, it will increase the workforce and have a positive impact on Utah’s economy.
Some may be concerned that increasing the minimum wage will harm the economy and raise prices. Research shows that if the minimum wage is increased in small increments over time, with preparation, it would not increase prices.
Some may additionally be concerned about the cost of providing increased childcare subsidies. While the cost may be high, the effects will be positive. The number of people able to enter the workforce will increase, more jobs will become available as daycare providers expand and families will be able to spend their income elsewhere.
For Utah to continue to be the family-friendly state we are known for, there needs to be more support and reinvestment in the children and families who live here. The birth rate is declining, in part because people cannot afford to have children.
Utah needs policy and tax reform to support families by increasing wages, paid parental leave and increasing childcare subsidies to provide low-cost or free childcare for all. All Utahns need to use their voices to contact their elected representatives, get involved in political processes and advocate for policies that create a better community for everyone.
(Karissa Pate ) Karissa Pate is a mother, social worker and graduate student.
Karissa Pate lives in Utah County. She is a mother, social worker and graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in social work.
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