JD Vance’s recent remarks on reducing day care costs have sparked widespread confusion and criticism online. Speaking at an event in Mesa, Arizona, alongside right-wing podcast host Charlie Kirk, Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, was asked how to lower child care expenses. He responded by suggesting that families could turn to relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles, for help with child care, thus easing the financial burden.
Vance argued that this approach could reduce reliance on formal day care services, but he acknowledged that not all families have the option of turning to relatives for support. He went on to propose loosening the educational requirements for child care workers, suggesting that many people who love working with children are deterred from the profession by the need for extensive certification or higher education.
His comments, however, were met with sharp criticism on social media. Many pointed out that expecting grandparents or other relatives to take on child care duties is not a viable policy solution. Some noted the impracticality of asking older family members to provide free child care, especially if they are already working late into life.
Others highlighted that, contrary to Vance’s claims, child care workers generally do not need a six-year college degree or even a college degree at all in most states.
Vance’s suggestions come amid a broader conversation on child care costs, which are increasing at nearly twice the rate of overall inflation. During the first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in June, child care costs received little attention, leaving many parents frustrated. While Trump has not outlined his current plan for addressing the issue, Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed ways to make child care more affordable as part of her campaign.
In the wake of Vance’s comments, many people online criticized him for being out of touch with the realities of child care costs and labor. Several pointed out that relying on unpaid family members is not a sustainable or equitable solution to the broader crisis in affordable child care.
