Need a Nanny, Call Your Senator

Childcare Was Already in Crisis. Then ICE Showed Up.

When we lived in Los Angeles, we had what felt like the dream setup: a gentle, loving and affordable caregiver who made it possible for me to go back to work, take a Pilates class, and sometimes even think in full sentences. We had Brella for drop-in days and the sense that support (albeit paid) was out there if you needed it.

Then we moved and it was like someone hit the childcare brakes. Suddenly, we were in a parental version of the Hunger Games: no spots, no backup, no idea how people made it work without a live-in grandma or a five-figure monthly budget. And the worst part? No one seemed surprised. This was just… how it is.

But lately, things feel like they’ve gone from bad to Trump. In cities like D.C. and Boston, ICE has reportedly started targeting nannies (ICE has denied this, but sources on the ground AKA my sister say it happened). Yes, nannies. As in: the people literally keeping the economy running by keeping our kids safe while we work, or try to.

This isn’t just a parenting problem. It’s a labor issue, an immigration issue, a gender issue, and a massive cultural blind spot. The people doing the most intimate, essential work are also the most invisible and the least protected. And somehow, that still isn’t setting off alarms.

Let’s get into it.

Nap Time Is Expensive

Welcome to the $122 billion child care crisis. Now try finding a sitter.

• $43,000 — The average annual cost of a nanny in the U.S, which is more than in-state college tuition in many states.

• 1 in 3 families reports spending 22% or more of their income on child care. Financial advisors recommend 7%—LOL.

• $122 billion — The annual cost to the U.S. economy in 2023 due to lost earnings, productivity, and revenue from lack of child care.

• Nearly 1 in 5 child care workers is an immigrant and about 15% of domestic workers in the U.S. are undocumented.

• Wages for child care workers? Around $15/hour on average.

• Over 50% of Americans live in a child care desert—defined as an area with more than three children per licensed spot.

Inside the Babysitter Economy

If the government won’t solve it, someone will try to monetize it. Welcome to the babysitter economy: a patchwork of platforms, franchises, and “flexible” care models trying to fill the gaping holes in America’s support system—usually for a fee.

• Brella (L.A. + beyond): Drop-in daycare with high-design interiors, hourly rates, and app-based bookings. Think: WeWork for babies, with better lighting.

• Care.com: The OG marketplace for nannies, sitters, and after-school help. Post-pandemic, they’ve expanded into B2B, helping companies subsidize or source care for their employees.

• Vivvi (NYC + national expansion): Employer-sponsored early education that doubles as a recruiting perk. They’re partnering with companies to provide on-site or near-site care, making “bring your kid to work” less worst case scenario.

• WeeCare (Nationwide): Turning homes into licensed micro-daycares and providing backend support to caregivers. They call it “Uber for daycare,” which is a little dystopian—but also better than nothing.

• Helpr: Emergency backup child care for when your sitter cancels, your kid has the sniffles, or you just really need a minute. Some employers now offer it as a benefit.

  

So What? Why This Actually Matters

Because it's not just about finding a random sitter in a pinch, it's about how we value care, labor, and women's time. Let’s connect the dots. All the vowel-light apps, startup funding, and a baby bonus won’t fix a system that’s fundamentally cracked.

• None of these platforms actually solve the supply problem.
  There simply aren’t enough trained, trusted caregivers to meet demand—especially in rural areas or lower-income communities.

• The labor force is still wildly undervalued.
  Most child care workers are paid less than dog walkers. Many live below the poverty line. And the ones caring for babies under 3? Often make the least.

• The system depends on undocumented labor—but won’t protect it.
  Immigration enforcement targeting nannies doesn’t just criminalize care; it destabilizes families and fuels fear in an already fragile workforce.

• It’s costing women their careers.The child care crisis is a direct hit to working mothers’ earnings, mental health, and long-term security. Flexible care shouldn’t be a luxury or a perk. It should be policy.

• Startups treat it like a tech problem. But this isn’t about UX—it’s about infrastructure. About recognizing child care as a public good, not a personal burden.

Momstincts: Where This Is All Headed

The child care crisis isn’t going away and won’t be solved by AI or big tech, but it is entering the chat (finally).

• More Startups, Less Safety Net: We're seeing more niche, premium, VC-backed child care models (Brella, Vivvi etc.). But they’re often designed for tech-adjacent parents in cities. For everyone else, the gaps are only widening.

• Care as a Corporate Benefit: Some employers are stepping in and offering child care stipends, backup care, or even in-office care (see Patagonia). But these are outliers. And unless you work for a “cool” company, it’s probably not happening for you.

• A Slow Shift Toward Public Pressure: There’s growing awareness (and new orgs) that this isn’t just a “mom issue.” It’s a GDP issue. A "why are women dropping out of the economy" issue. Expect more calls for universal pre-K, expanded paid leave, and care infrastructure to be central in upcoming elections. Hochul sees it coming.

• More Burnout, More Community Hacks: In the absence of structural support, parents are building their own systems: shared nanny pods, babysitting co-ops, group text SOS threads. We're seeing the rise of the Care Underground—grassroots, informal, and sadly, unscalable.

TL;DR: Child care is broken. Moms are maxed. The people holding it all up? Still invisible. Pay them, protect them, and stop pretending this isn’t infrastructure.

Research Department…everything else worth linking about.

• Are You a Type C Parent? “Type C” parenting is the new TikTok descriptor for embracing chaos with a hint of structure—and burnt-out moms love.

• The backlash to all things “mama-branded” is here. Vogue critiques how motherhood has been flattened into and is cringey.

• Microdosing Moms Are Tapping Out of the Wine Trap: It’s part of a broader shift from wine mom culture to wellness-adjacent coping—think mushrooms over merlot.

• Drunk Elephant Lost the Plot—and Gen Z Knows It: Once the face of cool-girl skincare, Drunk Elephant is now being ghosted by its youngest fans.

• Dads Are the New Stroller Influencers: The New York Times profiles Brooklyn’s “Stroll Club,” where style-conscious dads gather to walk, vibe, and trade parenting tips (and toddler snacks).

Thanks for being mom friends :) this newsletter was brought to you by childcare.