What’s the Most Desperate Thing You’ve Done to Secure Childcare? (Thread)

Normally, our Thursday thread is a perk for paying members of The Double Shift. Today I'm opening it up for commenting to all.

What’s the Most Desperate Thing You’ve Done to Secure Childcare? (Thread)

(This Thursday thread is normally a thread JUST for members of The Double Shift, but today I’m making it available to the whole newsletter list. Want more fun like this? Become a member. It starts at $7/mo)

Writing for yesterday’s newsletter about how Richard Nixon not only killed comprehensive childcare legislation in 1971, but also made the whole effort radioactive for decades by casting government-funded daycare as communist and anti-family as left me feeling a little ragey. I’m angry that now that a lack of investment for 50 years means every individual family who needs care may find themselves constantly scrambling to pay TONS of money to underpaid workers and understaffed systems. JUST UGGGHHH!!!

In honor of how Dick Nixon screwed us all 52 years ago, I’d like to hear your stories: What’s the wildest, saddest, hardest, most ridiculous, most expensive thing you’ve done to secure childcare? Examples: spending $1000 on daycare application fees and never getting offered a spot. Driving your kids overnight to your mom’s house because your childcare fell through and you have nowhere else to take them. Setting your alarm for 2am to register for summer camp because you were on a business trip to a different time zone. Turning down a promotion because your nanny was unexpectedly poached by a wealthier mom you thought was your friend and you have no childcare. You get the idea.

Normally, our Thursday thread is a perk for paying members of The Double Shift. Today I thought I’d open it up for commenting to everyone who’s on the free mailing list so 1) we could get tons of stories 2) You can get a taste of how much fun these convos are when you are a member. If you want more threads like these every Thursday, sign up below.

BUT TODAY ONLY, EVERYONE can comment. Here are our community guidelines. This is a community for solidarity, not advice, curiosity, not judgment... and no flame throwin'! Let's be better than the rest of the internet.

Reminder: Double Shifters, I’m seriously considering offering some courses focused on issues facing mothers + caregivers at work this year and I’d love your feedback on my ideas. Everyone who takes this 3 min survey by Feb 21 will be entered to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift certificate. TIA!

I look forward to hearing from you all.

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