Which state has the most expensive child care?

TOP OF MIND

Dumber than crap
Financial guru and apparent master of the English language, Dave Ramsey, told a listener of his that spending over $20,000 on your kid before they're school age is "dumber than crap."

The full quote was, "They're not even in school and you're paying $25,000 a head? Come on dude, that's just dumber than crap."

This was in response to a dad explaining how much he was spending on child care. And to anyone not currently raising young children, spending over $20,000 on child care might seem outrageous, but it's actually not that surprising. In some states, it's the norm.

The important bits
According to a recent report from Child Care Aware of America, the average cost of child care in 2022 was nearly $11,000 per child. That's a big increase from the $9,400 total in 2017.

But that's just the average across the country. In some states, that number is much higher. Just take a look at Massachusetts, where the average parent could spend more than 17% of their income (around $20,000) on center-based child care. In New York, parents are spending 16% of their income on child care.

California was third most expensive, where the average parent is spending nearly $15,000 per child.

The most affordable state? North Dakota. In fact, it's the only state where the average parent is spending less than 9% of their income on child care. But that 9% is still too high, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who say affordable child care for kids under 4 years of age should be just 7% of your income.

We should note that family child care, where children are cared for in a residential setting, is more affordable. But still, it's going to be eating up more than 7% of your income. This is probably why so many parents had such a negative reaction to Ramsey's "dumber than crap" comment.

You can click here to check out a fun interactive map showing the costs of child care in every state.

What's it all mean?
It means the only thing that's "dumber than crap" is how expensive it is to raise a child. Thankfully, some states are trying to correct the situation. Minnesota approved more than a billion dollars last year in relief funds. In Virginia, more than a dozen bills and proposals focused on providing more funding for child care have been introduced.

In the meantime, there are some things you can do yourself to lower the cost. When you're searching for child care in your area, make sure you call around and get multiple quotes. In many areas, in-home care and the YMCA are the most affordable options.

And if you have multiple children, some parents say hiring a nanny is actually more affordable than sending them all to daycare. More tips here.

DID YOU HEAR

You should get your kid a dog
Life is ruff, but it's better with a dog! A new study found that getting a family dog is linked with a significant jump in physical activity in younger kids. And perhaps more surprising, the jump in activity was higher in girls. Adding a dog to the household increased their physical activity by nearly an hour a day!

Gentle parenting = entitled children?
Gentle parenting was huge in 2023, but it's 2024 now, and people are starting to turn against it, feeling that some parents are taking the "gentle" approach a little too far. A new poll revealed that more than a third of Gen Zers wouldn't tell their kids to stop running around a restaurant. And 30% wouldn't tell their children to stop kicking the seat in front of them on an airplane. See how millennials answered here.

Does your kid have high emotional intelligence?
A parenting researcher studied the behaviors of over 200 kids and found that kids with high emotional intelligence typically do six key things. What are those six things? Well, they include recognizing non-verbal cues, naming their emotions, and the ability to self-regulate. Click here to see the full list.

The most dangerous national parks
Planning a trip to a national park this summer? You'll probably want to read this article, which outlines the top 10 deadliest national parks. The Grand Canyon and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska rank the highest. Since 2007, 165 people have died in the Grand Canyon. But don't let the scary numbers keep you away from the beauty, just take these precautions.

This mom is paying her kids to go to school
And the internet is NOT happy about it.

A DOSE OF GUACAMOLE

BITES WITH KIYAH

All about guac.

While searching for dinner ideas I came across a recipe for guacamole that intrigued - not because of the recipe itself, but the comments about the recipe. And although the heated debate over whether or not garlic, cumin, and lime juice belong in guacamole was fascinating, it was the comments about the best way to prevent guacamole from browning that really caught my eye.

What do you do when there is a debate about something like this? An experiment, of course!

I decided to make the recipe as described: diced white onion, avocado, tomato, Serrano chili, salt, and cilantro.

Once made, I divided the guac evenly between four ramekins to test the commenters recommendations. To the first bowl we added lime juice, to the second the avocado pit, and to the third I pressed saran wrap to the top of the guac to remove all of the air.

The fourth ramekin we used for my favorite recommendation: eat it all as soon as it’s made! 😉

After 20 minutes they all seemed to be equally green and after another 20 minutes (my next set time to check), I returned to find my 14-year-old happily munching the lime-juice covered container. Which, for me, just proves that how you choose to keep guac from browning isn’t really important because it’s not likely to last long enough to matter.

But if you're wondering, the saran wrap method was the clear winner when it came to preventing browning. The more you know 💫

Kiyah is the co-founder of Kizingo Kids and an expert in nutrition. Follow her on Instagram.

BETTERMENTS

Lacking the motivation to exercise? We feel you. On those days you barely have motivation to put on pants, how the heck are you supposed to summon the strength to do a burpee? These science-based tips and tricks might help. 

Also, you're probably washing your hair incorrectly. Seriously. Check this out.

DEALS & FINDS

Want to buy cool things without breaking the bank? We have you covered. We decided to look around the web to find some of the coolest products under $30

What made the list?

This super neat (and stylish) prop to hold open the door to your washer. It sticks magnetically to the front of your washer and will set you back just $10. One reviewer wrote, "whoever thought of this is a life saver."

Ice trays are notoriously frustrating to use, but this 4-in-1 "icebreaker" is changing the narrative. It's an ice dispenser, maker, bin and pack all in one. You can make ice and serve it without ever having to touch the ice cubes. Best of all? It's under $20.

The only thing worse than no coffee is lukewarm coffee. Thankfully, this $25 coffee mug warmer is here to save the day. Simply set your mug on it and the warmer turns on automatically. No switch necessary!

Okay, you have the coffee, but what about the donuts? This mini donut maker is loads of fun. Your kids will love it too.

PARENTING WIN/FAIL

This week, loyal reader Jenna shares a parenting fail that ends on a high note. 😉

Jenna, you're doing a great job! How special of you to give your daughter the gift of music!

If you have a parenting win/fail you'd like to share, email us at [email protected] and your story will be featured in a future edition!

HERE’S A QUESTION

Last week we asked you, "If you could get rid of one mythical figure, who would it be?" And believe it or not, there was a three-way tie for first place between Mermaid, Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy. Santa and unicorns are safe. Phew.

RECALLS

Need a reason to put off vacuuming another day? You may have found one. A total of 142,000 Bissell Multi Reach Hand and Floor Vacuum Cleaners are being recalled due to a potential fire hazard.

The company has received at least 17 reports of the vacuum smoking and emitting a strong burning odor. Six of those reports claimed the battery actually caught fire, resulting in minor burns and property damage.

If you happen to have this burning hunk of love, stop using it! Contact Bissell for instructions on how to deplete the battery's charge and they'll send you a free replacement.

You can contact them via email at [email protected] or simply visit their recall page here.