A push to pay parents to stay home is gaining traction—but moms say what they really need is child care they can afford

Yahoo

16-05-2025

A new wave of family policy proposals is coming out of Washington, and they sound like a throwback. Several high-profile politicians—including Senators J.D. Vance and Josh Hawley—are advocating for bigger child tax credits and incentives for stay-at-home parenting. Their pitch? Reversing America's declining birth rate by making it easier for one parent (usually mom) to be home with the kids.
But what moms are actually saying is: it's not that simple.
Related: Parental leave isn't enough
The proposal, as reported in The New York Times, suggests eliminating child care tax credits and instead giving direct financial support to families. For example, Hawley wants to expand the child tax credit to $5,000 per child, while Representative Blake Moore is pushing to remove the work requirement tied to existing tax credits—so stay-at-home parents could also benefit.
It's all part of what these lawmakers call a 'family-focused' approach—favoring more time at home over solutions that support working parents. But critics argue it does nothing to fix the core problems facing today's families: sky-high child care costs, the lack of paid family leave, and a labor market built on the assumption of a stay-at-home spouse most modern families simply don't have.
Let's be real: This isn't about choice if moms can't afford to make one.
As the cost of child care now averages over $11,000 per year per child—double that in some cities—most American households can't survive on a single income. Nearly two-thirds of mothers in two-parent households work outside the home, not because they don't want to be home, but because the math doesn't add up.
Advocates for paid leave and subsidized child care, like Moms First founder Reshma Saujani, have called the proposed credits a distraction. 'No medals, no PR stunts,' she said. 'People need child care and paid leave.'
Related: 'We weren't meant to do this alone': A mom's viral video on why parenting feels so hard in the U.S.
Even among moms who want to stay home, the proposed tax credits—$5,000 or so—don't come close to replacing a full-time income. As one Ohio mom told the Times: 'It's pennies when you need dollars.'
This isn't just about birth rates or personal preference. It's about policy that reflects how families actually live now—most with two working parents, limited support, and an overwhelming mental load.
Subsidized child care We don't need a tax credit instead of care—we need support that makes child care accessible, safe, and high-quality.
Paid family leave The U.S. is still one of the only wealthy countries without guaranteed paid leave. That's not a coincidence—it's a crisis.
Real workplace flexibility From hybrid schedules to equitable parental leave, we need jobs that reflect the lives of working families—not an idealized version of the past.
Because the real family values? They look like parents who are supported—at work and at home.