As a single mother to a four-month-old baby boy, life has become a constant balancing act—physically, emotionally, and financially. I live in an expensive city where the cost of everything feels like it’s rising faster than I can keep up. Rent alone is already a huge burden, but when I looked into full-time childcare for my son, I was stunned to see that it costs nearly the same as renting an apartment. It feels like I’m being forced to pay double just to survive and keep my baby safe while I work.
I’m a teacher, and while I love what I do, the pay doesn’t reflect the demands of the job or the rising cost of living. Teaching is more than a full-time job—it’s a calling—but unfortunately, passion doesn’t pay the bills. Every month, I’m stretched to my financial limits. I live paycheck to paycheck now, and most of the small savings I had built up before my son was born have already gone toward childcare costs and basic living expenses. I never imagined how quickly it would all disappear.
There’s no one else I can lean on. I don’t have a partner or nearby family to help with babysitting or finances. Every doctor’s appointment, every sleepless night, every bottle, diaper, and meltdown—it’s all on me. And while I try to stay strong for my baby, there are days I feel like I’m barely holding it together. I go to work every morning after being up multiple times during the night, exhausted but determined, knowing that my son is depending on me for everything.
Childcare is not optional for me—it’s the only way I can keep working and providing for us. But the cost is draining. Every month, I’m forced to choose what bills can wait, what groceries I can cut back on, and how I can stretch every dollar just a little further. I worry constantly about what will happen if I can’t keep up. Will I have to move? Work more hours? But when would I see my baby? These are the impossible questions I face every day.
Despite everything, I’m doing my best. I show up to work. I take care of my son. I make sure he’s fed, loved, and safe. But this situation isn’t sustainable. Single mothers like me need support, and affordable childcare isn’t just a luxury—it’s a lifeline. Without it, we’re left struggling in silence, doing everything we can with almost nothing left to give.
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