Families face rising prices everywhere, from the grocery store to the gas pump, while wages lag behind inflation . For parents trying to get a second income stream or preserve the only one they have, childcare is critical, and among the key issues they’re considering heading into November’s election.

In 2024, households with children ages 13 and younger that paid for childcare spent an average of $10,520 annually, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Daycare and preschool prices rose by 4% between August 2025 and 2026, outpacing the 3.4% increase in overall consumer prices, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows. A July survey ranked affordability as the top economic concern that registered voters want congressional candidates to address.

The Trump administration is considering a policy, championed by Vice President JD Vance, that would pay a parent to stay at home to care for a child, according to The New York Times .…