The awful truth is that competent child care is very expensive. Nothing is going to change that. We could decide as a society to subsidize it in various ways,

The awful truth is that competent child care is very expensive. Nothing is going to change that. We could decide as a society to subsidize it in various ways, and/or many of us could tighten our belts some and cough up for the expensive child care we need ourselves. But ultimately, it's expensive and probably going to get more so. It's not unlike healthcare costs in general. (source: Have lived with a childcare provider.)