If you are a parent, it is likely that you spend more time than you’d like thinking about and executing child care management for your family. While you’re at work all day, you trust that your child will be escorted to an after school program by a teacher, picked up by a babysitter or relative, and perhaps even for a third party to relieve the babysitter in the evening, all before you get home. The intricate dance of caregivers, all choreographed and paid for by the parent, is at this point a normal facet of American childhood. Fewer than a third of children have a full time stay-at-home parent, and almost a quarter of children under the age of five are enrolled in some form of organized child care. Here are a couple hard and fast truths about childcare in the U.S.:

• In 2010, a study found that children who spent more hours in childcare had a slightly greater tendency toward risk-taking and impulsiveness by age 15 than did their counterparts who spent less time in childcare. Another study from the same year found that only 40% of children in daycare received quality care. With 32.7 million children in childcare arrangements, it is terrifying to think on these negative consequences of something that is completely necessary in order for parents to make ends meet. Quality control for organized childcare facilities, and programs like child care management software is certainly in demand as more children enter childcare arrangements.
• 75% of full-time employed mothers utilize some form of childcare, and
  Over two thirds of Americans share the belief that the government or businesses should be doing more to help working parents with childcare. Families spend 7.8 % of their total income on childcare, and it stands to reason they they would be frustrated by the lack of consideration they get from their employers. Other countries notable as exemplary models for governmental child care policy, like Sweden, are known to guarantee up to two years paid leave, financial aid, parenting classes and advice to new parents.
• Along with innovative child care management solutions, governmental lobbying and other measures, hopefully the quality and ease of childcare will become more fun and beneficial for kids, and streamlined and efficient for working parents.