Raising a child costs between $13k[2] and $35k[1] in the USA – depending on where you live and who you ask.
With a minimum wage job ($7.25/hr) you need to work about 5 to 13 hours per day to make that much – before taxes.
[1] https://smartasset.com/financial-advisor/cost-raise-child-2023
[2] https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/090415/cost-raising-child-america.asp
Yes and we should. We should also make childcare free.
It can’t be free.
What you’re actually saying is that “childcare should be communally funded by taxes”.
I’m not on board with that unless it comes with limits on reproduction, especially for those who pay zero taxes.
Stop creating more human lives when you can’t even independently support your own.
We should prioritise supporting the creation of more human lives
First of all you’ll be really happy with all those babies when you turn 80 and society hasn’t fallen because the average age is 70.
Second, when childcare is free more people can join the workforce, this increases taxes and productivity.
But maybe the most important it will make society more equal. When you’re poor working almost doesn’t make sense if you have to spend 80% of your salary on childcare. So more people don’t work, these people are usually women. That really doesn’t help with an equal society, because a big group can’t really work so they can’t really climb any ladders.