Nobody is entitled to free childcare, even if they have a teenage sibling who is home for the summer.

Childcare always comes at a cost. If both parents are working and need to pay for daycare for a couple of years, it will cost them thousands of dollars. If one parent stays at home and takes care of the kids for the years before they’re in a K-12 school, they’re missing out on the income they would’ve earned during those years. Additionally, their future earnings are greatly diminished after taking years away from work. It’s not fair, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles. 

There are those unicorn people or situations that allow you to have childcare at little to no cost. Sometimes, grandparents are totally willing to take care of their grandchildren during working hours free of charge, although that is becoming more of an anomaly. There are many cheaper daycare options than the most expensive private daycare in town, but these services often come with a catch. They might have an extremely high kids-to-adults ratio. They might not be as enriching as you’d want them to be. But if you can’t afford a full-time babysitter or a fancy daycare, your options are more limited.