The Reality of Childcare in Nebraska

For Nebraska to reach its full potential, we must become a state where young families and workers want to build their futures. No single policy will make that happen. It requires sound tax policy, sensible regulation, greater freedom for individuals and businesses, attractive jobs, strong schools, and an affordable cost of living. 

For young families, some of the largest expenses are also the most difficult to avoid, particularly housing and childcare. These costs shape decisions about where families live, how many children they have, and whether both parents remain in the workforce. They also affect Nebraska’s ability to attract workers, support employers, and grow its communities. 

The Platte Institute’s recent research on childcare hit close to home for me because this is not an abstract policy issue for my family. 

My wife and I have two young children. We both work, and childcare costs us $500 every week, or about $26,000 a year. That is the kind of annual expense many families associate with a college education. Yet while families have years to anticipate and save for college, childcare costs arrive much earlier. 

Childcare costs often come when parents are establishing their careers, paying down student loans, buying their first homes, and beginning to build savings. It can be one of the most financially demanding periods of a family’s life, arriving when earnings and savings are least prepared to absorb it. 

For me and my wife, continuing to work still makes economic sense. Our incomes cover the cost, and remaining in the workforce allows us to keep building our careers and saving for the future. 

A third child could change that calculation. With three children in day care, it could make more financial sense for one of us to leave the workforce and stay home. 

That choice would carry costs of its own. Leaving work means more than losing a paycheck today. It can mean missing years of raises, promotions, retirement contributions, and professional development. Returning to the same career path later may be difficult. What looks like a short-term household decision can shape a family’s financial security for decades. 

The pressures begin even before a parent leaves work. Child-care constraints can cause parents to reduce their hours, turn down promotions, avoid jobs with unpredictable schedules, or remain in positions offering greater flexibility but fewer opportunities. 

Cost is also only one part of the challenge. Families must find reliable care with an available opening, in a workable location, and during the hours they need it. Even parents who can afford care may discover that it simply is not available. 

This is the reality facing young families across Nebraska. Childcare is not just a personal expense or a temporary inconvenience. Its cost and availability influence whether parents can work, whether businesses can find employees, and whether families believe they can build the lives they want here. 

If Nebraska wants to become a destination state for young families and workers, childcare must be part of that vision. Getting policies around it right is about strengthening our workforce, expanding opportunity, and making Nebraska a place where young families can put down roots and thrive.