Happy Wednesday,

I’m almost the dad of a one year old! I’ve said this often, but I truly can’t believe that a year has gone by already. This feels like a big milestone for both my daughter and my wife and I.

Speaking of milestones. A few weeks ago, we placed a bet to see if my daughter would take her first steps, unassisted, before her birthday. She hasn’t yet, but she’s definitely pretty eager to. Do you think she has it in her to get it done today? Check out the video below and let me know!

getparenthood

View more on Instagram

Love Parenthood? Be sure to share it with your family, friends, and social network and encourage them to join our community!

One Big Idea

The Issues With For-Profit Child Care Chains

There’s no question that child care is at a crossroads. Federal funding has recently dried up and millions of children are set to lose access. In this ongoing dialogue about enhancing child care in the United States, a critical issue has emerged: the growing influence of large, investor-backed child care chains. While these institutions, like Bright Horizons and KinderCare, offer solutions to child care needs, they also represent a concerning trend. These chains, driven by profit motives, are rapidly expanding, overshadowing community-based programs and family child care homes. Their growing dominance in the market allows them to significantly influence the national agenda for families and child care workers. However, this influence is not always in the best interest of the families they serve. The primary allegiance of these for-profit chains is to their investors and their bottom lines, not necessarily to the working parents and their children. This conflict of interest raises an alarm: are we moving towards a child care system that prioritizes profit over the wellbeing of our children and their caregivers?

The impact of these for-profit chains is multifaceted and far-reaching. As they grow, they tend to absorb smaller, independent child care programs, often leading to staff turnover, steep tuition hikes and sometimes even more concerning - extremely long waitlists. This expansion not only pushes families out of affordable care options but also worsens the existing national child care staffing crisis. With their focus on maximizing profits, these chains often pay their workers poorly, despite charging high tuition fees to parents. This model creates an unsustainable ecosystem where quality child care becomes a privilege accessible only to those who can afford it, leaving behind a significant portion of the population who is in desperate need. The presence of these chains in predominantly affluent areas further underscores the inequity in access to quality child care. As a result, the very essence of child care as a support system for working parents is undermined, making it imperative to reevaluate our approach to resolving the child care crisis in America.

Trending Stories & Insights

• TIL: That those born in 2010 or later are named Generation Alpha. Turns out they’re very into their skincare routine and are expected to drive beauty sales this holiday season. Also fun fact - Gen Alpha is expected to be the largest generation yet, with roughly 2.5 billion people by 2024, and the group is projected to have the greatest spending power in history

• One of us: Turns out even A list celebs have to deal with parenting in the era smartphones. Here, Julia Roberts shares her simple rules for getting her kids eyes off the phones

• Building on that: The National Director of the Healthy Steps program at ZERO TO THREE, discusses screentime guidelines for children 5 and under and helps parents and caregivers make good choices about what children watch and how much time they spend in front of screens

Tip of the Day

• A life well lived: Charlie Munger, who recently passed at age 99, was one of the most famous investors of all time and Warren Buffet’s right hand man. In one of his final writings, he shares key lessons that two of his children have learned from him over the years. They’re worth a read

Here’s a dad joke

How do you get an astronaut’s baby to stop crying?

Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer!

Time(out) for Memes

pubity

View more on Instagram

rachel.keohane

View more on Instagram