DCM Mad I Think

[AmyLeigh]

I have yet to see someone take their area rates for both their area college and child care rates and break it down to PROVE it.

Unless a child is going to Harvard....the statements made lately about a full year of child care costing the same or more than a year in college is so mis-leading.

Just for comparison's sake:

Local State university tuition: 3150 a semester, 6300 a year

Current daycare subsidy in same county: 34.13 a day for 2-5 year old or 8532 a year full time.

Now I know that's just tuition, not including books and other fees, but it is very close.

I think the majority of parents don't realize that daycare should be their second largest expense, after housing.

[Blackcat31]

Just for comparison's sake:

Local State university tuition: 3150 a semester, 6300 a year

Current daycare subsidy in same county: 34.13 a day for 2-5 year old or 8532 a year full time.

Now I know that's just tuition, not including books and other fees, but it is very close.

I think the majority of parents don't realize that daycare should be their second largest expense, after housing.

Not sure what this means... subsidy as in parents don't pay?

I also think if they are going to make the statement then the cost (of college)should include everything (books and other fees) because if it isn't the FULL cost, then we can compare apples to oranges.

[Thriftylady]

Not sure what this means... subsidy as in parents don't pay?

I also think if they are going to make the statement then the cost (of college)should include everything (books and other fees) because if it isn't the FULL cost, then we can compare apples to oranges.

I agree with BC on this one. MOST childcare providers include quite a few supplies, and even meals and snacks for that matter. So in order to compare the two, we would have to factor in supplies, including books, paper, ink, etc. And we may have to include the cost of a meal plan at college in order to get the full comparison, just because you eat at daycare and some students pay to eat meals prepared at college. We have to compare apples to apples.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Here is the comparison in my state. I live in a city of 50k and there is a public university that is a very good school. Tuition for a year is just shy of $13000. This includes books, housing, the works. Average daycare cost is $150 a week, $7800 a year, but most daycares here do unpaid vacations, so most parents only pay 48-50 weeks a year, so the average price is between $7000-$8000 a year.

So, in my area, daycare providers make almost ahlf what colleges do and we provide the foundation for a child's life. I spend 50+ hours a week with my kiddos and a lot of it is one on one time, so there is no way to compare college education with daycare. None of my professors spent 50 hours a week "molding" me into a great person! Daycare is personal and college is not, imo.

[AmyLeigh]

Not sure what this means... subsidy as in parents don't pay? Yes, I couldn't find the average rate charged for this county. I do know that my dh's coworkers are paying average of $35/day for child care in the same city the university is in. They wouldn't qualify for subsidy.

I also think if they are going to make the statement then the cost (of college)should include everything (books and other fees) because if it isn't the FULL cost, then we can compare apples to oranges. Oh I completely agree. I don't have college age students, so I haven't a clue of what the grand total would be. But would those extras exceed $2200? .

I know this isn't a great comparison, but when the statement of college vs. child care was made, I did a quick look to see what it would be here in CenCal. Now compare the Fresno State tuition to what people in other areas charge, like Daycare, then child care would be much higher. Maybe that's where the inconsistencies lie.

[Thriftylady]

I know this isn't a great comparison, but when the statement of college vs. child care was made, I did a quick look to see what it would be here in CenCal. Now compare the Fresno State tuition to what people in other areas charge, like Daycare, then child care would be much higher. Maybe that's where the inconsistencies lie.

It is possible that books and other college supplies would run more than $2200. Books are horribly expensive, I have seen some college books run over $100 each. It doesn't take long for the costs of books and such to add up. If you are lucky, you can get used ones, but those are still pricey, just not as high.

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

I guess I don't feel that college and child care can be compared at all.

Child care rates are for no less than 50 hours per week. How many hours in class is full time enrollment? 16 or 20, maybe? Most daycare is a 1:8 ratio. What is in in many university courses? Often times 1:100. Never less than 1:25. Do the tuition rates include the countless other things that are provided at daycare (meals, supplies, etc.)? I think if you break it down and factor in ALL of it, you'd find daycare to be much, much less costly. What university includes a promise to clean up boogers, poop, and pee with paid tuition?:: It just does not compare!

Sure, a parent may pay more for their offsprings' daycare than they do for their college education. So what? It's not the same thing. I bet almost all parents will pay way more for all the toys and gadgets they buy their kids over their first 18 years than they will ever spend on daycare or college, too. So what? Should we launch a big study and berate Little Tikes, Legos, and Sony for their audacity to operate a business and provide a product or service that people choose to purchase, because it costs more than the average college education?

My DCFs each pay me $2.30 per hour for the enormous responsibility of caring for their very young children, and pay for groceries, supplies, and taxes. A pittance, really.

[Thriftylady]

I guess I don't feel that college and child care can be compared at all.

Child care rates are for no less than 50 hours per week. How many hours in class is full time enrollment? 16 or 20, maybe? Most daycare is a 1:8 ratio. What is in in many university courses? Often times 1:100. Never less than 1:25. Do the tuition rates include the countless other things that are provided at daycare (meals, supplies, etc.)? I think if you break it down and factor in ALL of it, you'd find daycare to be much, much less costly. What university includes a promise to clean up boogers, poop, and pee with paid tuition?:: It just does not compare!

Sure, a parent may pay more for their offsprings' daycare than they do for their college education. So what? It's not the same thing. I bet almost all parents will pay way more for all the toys and gadgets they buy their kids over their first 18 years than they will ever spend on daycare or college, too. So what? Should we launch a big study and berate Little Tikes, Legos, and Sony for their audacity to operate a business and provide a product or service that people choose to purchase, because it costs more than the average college education?

My DCFs each pay me $2.30 per hour for the enormous responsibility of caring for their very young children, and pay for groceries, supplies, and taxes. A pittance, really.

[sahm1225]

I guess I don't feel that college and child care can be compared at all.

Child care rates are for no less than 50 hours per week. How many hours in class is full time enrollment? 16 or 20, maybe? Most daycare is a 1:8 ratio. What is in in many university courses? Often times 1:100. Never less than 1:25. Do the tuition rates include the countless other things that are provided at daycare (meals, supplies, etc.)? I think if you break it down and factor in ALL of it, you'd find daycare to be much, much less costly. What university includes a promise to clean up boogers, poop, and pee with paid tuition?:: It just does not compare!

Sure, a parent may pay more for their offsprings' daycare than they do for their college education. So what? It's not the same thing. I bet almost all parents will pay way more for all the toys and gadgets they buy their kids over their first 18 years than they will ever spend on daycare or college, too. So what? Should we launch a big study and berate Little Tikes, Legos, and Sony for their audacity to operate a business and provide a product or service that people choose to purchase, because it costs more than the average college education?

My DCFs each pay me $2.30 per hour for the enormous responsibility of caring for their very young children, and pay for groceries, supplies, and taxes. A pittance, really.

Love this!!!

[Unregistered]

I guess I don't feel that college and child care can be compared at all.

Child care rates are for no less than 50 hours per week. How many hours in class is full time enrollment? 16 or 20, maybe? Most daycare is a 1:8 ratio. What is in in many university courses? Often times 1:100. Never less than 1:25. Do the tuition rates include the countless other things that are provided at daycare (meals, supplies, etc.)? I think if you break it down and factor in ALL of it, you'd find daycare to be much, much less costly. What university includes a promise to clean up boogers, poop, and pee with paid tuition?:: It just does not compare!

Sure, a parent may pay more for their offsprings' daycare than they do for their college education. So what? It's not the same thing. I bet almost all parents will pay way more for all the toys and gadgets they buy their kids over their first 18 years than they will ever spend on daycare or college, too. So what? Should we launch a big study and berate Little Tikes, Legos, and Sony for their audacity to operate a business and provide a product or service that people choose to purchase, because it costs more than the average college education?

My DCFs each pay me $2.30 per hour for the enormous responsibility of caring for their very young children, and pay for groceries, supplies, and taxes. A pittance, really.

I don't understand this comparison either, unless it's for sticker-shock value or to play on the emotions of parents since college is one of the big expenses that they are most likely to stress over. I spent three hours a day at school for a full-time semester. It only proves to me that the colleges are over-priced. I mostly care for children of parents with corporate jobs, and they want 50 hours a week, five days a week. I have charged $30 a day for six years, but the local doggy daycares charge $35 a day, and they're always full. (I would also bet that the dog gets picked up first)