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The economy is tough right now and families are feeling it in every aspect of their life. Cutbacks come in every part of family budget: groceries, child care, housing, etc. A study from the Center for Children's Initiatives (CCI) found that many low-income and moderate-income families who make too much money for assistance settle for less than good-quality child care. Families get stuck on waiting lists or can't afford reliable child care.

Parents are trying to make ends meet, financially, and child care is a major expense. They settle for unregulated, in-home child care providers or facilities with lots of children and inexperienced workers. This isn't to say that all low-cost child care facilities are bad, just that they are more likely to be unregulated and have too many kids. One parent said, "If I had more money, I would have a caregiver with more experience and fewer children."

Many parents said they sometimes had to choose between paying their rent or other bills and child care. The irony of the situation isn't lost on many parents. They realize if they went on welfare or declared poverty they could qualify for better child care. Most of these parents stated that they didn't want to be on welfare. "It seems like you can only get help if you declare poverty and go on welfare. I don't want to do that as a single mom," said one parent.

What about you: have you had a difficult time finding quality child care? Has your child care affected your job situation?