Editorials / Opinion

Mothers pushed out of workforce to stay at home

I want to thank Gene Balk for revealing the facts about child care in Washington state [“Washington among states with least-affordable child care,” Online, Nov. 4].

The information he shared is not only sobering, it’s distressing. Countless families are struggling with being able to afford quality care and meeting basic needs, such as food and housing. The subsidies available are not enough, either due to lack of funding or because many working families do not qualify. As a result of this catch-22, many mothers are pushed out of the workforce to stay at home with their children. Instead of giving away billions to Boeing, the Legislature needs to put that money towards child care, social services and education. Washington state needs to get its priorities in order.

Gina Petry, Seattle