Given that single-parents manage (sort-of), it seems logical that adding reliable free child-care into the mix shouldn't make things harder. I do have a friend

Given that single-parents manage (sort-of), it seems logical that adding reliable free child-care into the mix shouldn't make things harder. I do have a friend who was making little enough to qualify for SNAP that made it work. It was definitely tight for him for a while, but after a series of promotions he's making a lot more. My wife is also a SAHM, but we are in a rather unique position (I make a lot of money and we fostered and adopted children with attachment issues). Now that the kids are old/emotionally stable enough she's looking at working again and the earnings would be less than 1/4 mine; with us already in a high tax-bracket the total added income is an even smaller amount. Still probably going to do it though because she wants to work, and no matter the budget adding even just a few thousand on the margins can make a big difference.