Every parent wants to give their child the chance to succeed. But amidst flat wages and rising costs, millions of families are struggling to put food on the table, put gas in the car, or make this month’s rent.
Families with young children have borne the heaviest burden. Infants and toddlers are the poorest members of American society, with almost half living in low income families. And while families across the board have been facing a financial squeeze, child-related costs have skyrocketed in recent years. In fact, child-related costs represented nearly 70 percent of the rising costs associated with the pillars of middle-class economic security between 2000 and 2012. Young parents have been hit particularly hard.