Dear Editor,
As a parent trying to navigate the current economy, I know firsthand that the dream of having a large family is becoming entirely out of reach. Raising children has simply become too expensive. The skyrocketing cost of living, paired with severe housing constraints, is forcing so many couples to stop at just one or two kids, even when the deep desire for a bigger family is there.
It is heartbreaking that having another child has turned into an “impossible choice” simply because parents are caught between earning a living and providing proper care. The absolute lack of structural support for working mothers makes balancing a career and a household feel like a losing battle.
If we want to address the steadily declining birth rate, we have to stop treating childcare as an individual struggle. Parents shouldn’t have to sacrifice their family dreams just to keep their heads above water. We urgently need real workplace flexibility, affordable housing, and actual backup for working parents. Until we get the systemic support we deserve, these numbers are only going to keep dropping.
~ Chipi Choden
