Mom Haiku #782 (3/1/26) Summer dreams warm us with camp adventure visions, until expense burns.

Big win for NYC parents! $10M for child care for kids 0–2 has passed the City Council! I was proud to join @ny4childcare.bsky.social earlier this summer, talking to parents and collecting signatures advocating for its passage. We’re not done yet. Let’s make universal child care a reality for NYC!

1/ Something is fundamentally wrong when families are spending MORE on childcare than a mortgage or rent. Childcare is a textbook example of a broken market, failing parents, providers, and kids alike.

🧵1/ With costs crushing working families, candidates from mayor to borough president are scrambling to show they have a plan. Universal child care isn’t just popular—it’s politically essential. Child care affordability is dominating the 2025 NYC elections. Here’s proof⬇️

This past weekend, we joined parents, children, and advocates at Lou Lodati Playground in support of funding free 2K @ny4childcare.bsky.social (1/4)

"As an expecting mother myself, I worry the cost of child care will drive my family out of New York.... Child care shouldn't be a luxury reserved for the rich. It should be every mother's right." Rebecca Bailin, @ny4childcare.bsky.social #MomsEqualPayDay #EqualPayNY

Join Finance Chair Justin Brannan, Council Member Krishnan & allies at our day care at City Hall to thank NYC Council for delivering a win for full workday 3-K & Pre-K! We’ll have activities for kids so pls bring them w/you! RSVP: www.united4childcare.org/events/bring...

ATTN Families in the Bronx! Tomorrow, Wed 4/30 5-6PM, please join us for our 1st ever Bronx playground petitioning. We're partnering w/Council Member Kevin Riley to speak directly with BX families and gather 2-Care petition signatures. RSVP: www.united4childcare.org/events/apr30...

Yesterday, @governor.ny.gov announced a preliminary agreement on the FY2026 New York State Budget, including $400 million for child care vouchers and $110 million to build and renovate existing child care facilities. Our response: 🧵

Our Spring Social was a success thx to our members! Special shoutout to @nyccomptroller.bsky.social Senators @zellnor.bsky.social @agounardes.bsky.social , And council member @justinbrannan.bsky.social for being with us! Join the movement: United4childcare.org/donate

No better way to celebrate the one-year anniversary of @ny4childcare.bsky.social and the incredible progress they’ve made in the fight for universal childcare than by leaping off the stage with a dozen toddlers and @zellnor.bsky.social! 📸: @bfurnas.bsky.social

🚨 NEW POLL from @dataforprogress : 78% of NYers support expanding free child care to 2-year-olds: ✔️ 90% of Black voters ✔️ 86% of Latino voters ✔️ 83% of parents ✔️ 63% of Republicans The message is clear: It’s time for #2Care. @politico 🧵 subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

TAKE YOUR CHILD TO CITY HALL DAY We were promised full-day care. Now it may be taken away. Mayor Adams is cutting the free extended-day pilot instead of expanding it. Parents stand to lose +10,000/ year and will have to scramble to get care during full work days.

THIS SATURDAY! A party at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum to support our work for universal child care. Museum admission included w/ tickets! 🔗RSVP united4childcare.org/events/springs…

Proud as ever to count @rebeccabailin.bsky.social as a friend. She inspires, brings out the giggles - the whole package. Join the fight @ny4childcare.bsky.social

NEW: We’re in the New York Times! Our movement to win universal child care is gaining momentum. “New Yorkers United for Child Care has organized more than 6,000 people… fueling the creation of a new species in NYC politics: the child care voter.” nytimes.com/2025/04/17/n... 🧵

The Child Care Crisis Is Motivating These New York City Voters

Parents are fed up, and the candidates for mayor appear to be paying attention. Many have built campaigns on a promise to make New York more affordable, with child care as a centerpiece.

nytimes.com

New Yorkers United for child care @ny4childcare.bsky.social is featured in the New York Times today. This amazing group has changed the narrative and made child care a core issue for NYC voters and candidates.

The Child Care Crisis Is Motivating These New York City Voters (Gift Article)

Parents are fed up, and the candidates for mayor appear to be paying attention. Many have built campaigns on a promise to make New York more affordable, with child care as a centerpiece.

nytimes.com

UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE UPDATE: Your hard work is paying off in the fight for universal child care and our voices are being heard! The Council Preliminary Budget Response (council.nyc.gov/budget/wp-co...) released yesterday and this is what we saw:

We've got big plans! In May, we'll have a Citywide Day of Action where we'll be at playgrounds all across NYC gathering 2-Care petition signatures. Join us for a planning meeting on Thurs 4/10 8:30pm (on Zoom) to plan our upcoming citywide day of action together.

Great day to rally to save child care vouchers with so many great advocates and elected officials including Day Care Council of New York, @unhny.bsky.social, Alliance for a Quality Education @aqeny.bsky.social, Council Member Lincoln Restler, Senator Jabari Brisport @jabaribrisport.bsky.social.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine recognized our Exec Director @rebeccabailin.bsky.social for her work fighting for universal child care! Join over 6K parents + would-be parents in the fight by signing our 2-Care petition: www.united4childcare.org/2-care

In our strategy meeting yesterday, parents, would-be parents, and New Yorkers who care gathered to learn about advocacy and planned next steps of our 2-Care campaign together.

Parents, would-be parents, and advocates SHOWED UP on Tues to call their council members. We made almost 200 calls! Up next: Join our strategy meeting Sat 3/22 3-5pm for advocacy training & plan next steps in our 2-Care campaign. Will we see you? RSVP: www.united4childcare.org/events/strat...

“We cannot afford to wait. Parents need child care now. New York’s future depends on it.” UNH’s Director of Policy & Advocacy co-wrote an op-ed in partnership with @ny4childcare.bsky.social to address the need for 2-Care in our city. Read it here 👉 www.amny.com/opinion/why-...

Op-Ed | Fighting for 2-Care: Why we can’t wait for free child care for two-year-olds | amNewYork

Right now, parents of two-year-olds in New York City are facing an impossible reality: the average cost of child care for a two-year-old is $23,000 a year. To

amny.com

The “call your council member” day of action for 2-Care and 3-K has begun! Have you called your council member yet? We’ve made it super easy ☎️Call now: www.united4childcare.org/call-your-reps @cpcnyc.bsky.social @grandstsettlement.bsky.social

Let’s flood City Council with calls about 2-Care and 3-K! Join us on Tuesday 3/18 in calling your council member to ask them to support 2-Care & restoration of funds to 3-K and early childhood education programs. Link to call here: www.united4childcare.org/call-your-reps Will you call?

Today I joined the rally at City Hall Park with @ny4childcare.bsky.social, @unhny.bsky.social, and family advocates to demand stable 3-K and ECE funding and expand 2-Care in this year’s budget. It’s becoming harder for working-class families to raise kids in NYC. We must invest in our children!

We need #2-Care! We are calling on NYC to prioritize 2-Care in the budget, restore the early childhood funding that was cut, and guarantee that every 3-year-old whose family applies gets a seat. Thank you @ny4childcare.bsky.social for your continued partnership in this fight.

We had an energizing rally today at City Hall Park with parents, would-be parents, elected officials, and our coalition members to say that we want 2-Care and restoration of funds that the Mayor cut to 3-K and early childhood education!

Get Loud With Us! Join us tomorrow, Wednesday 3/12, at City Hall Park (Broadway & Chambers St.), 10am to demand that Mayor Adams implement 2-Care & restore funds to 3-K and early childhood education. Will you join? RSVP: www.united4childcare.org/events/march...