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Imagine this: You’re a military spouse, juggling household responsibilities, work, and parenting while your partner is deployed. You need reliable child care so you can balance it all. Simple enough, right? Unfortunately, for military families, child care is often a complex puzzle, with missing pieces, long waitlists, and hefty price tags.
In her interview with AFA Engage, Kayla Corbitt, founder of the Operation Child Care Project (OCCP), breaks down the realities of military child care and why it’s time for big changes. Through OCCP, Corbitt is advocating for solutions that will ease the stress of finding quality, affordable child care for military families. If you’ve ever wondered why military child care is such a hot topic or how Corbitt is tackling this challenge, let’s dive into the key points she highlights.
The Military Child Care Challenge: It’s More Than Just Long Waitlists
It’s no secret that military families move—a lot. Relocating every few years means that military parents not only have to restart their careers but also face the challenge of finding new child care options every time they move. And, as Corbitt explains, that search isn’t always easy.
For many military families, the first choice is the Child Development Centers (CDCs) located on military installations. These centers are convenient, affordable, and designed to meet the unique needs of military children. But there’s a catch—demand for spots at these centers far exceeds the supply. Families often find themselves on long waitlists, hoping a spot opens up before their next move or deployment.
Off-base options? They aren’t much better. Child care near military installations is often more expensive than families can afford, especially when they’ve been relying on the lower costs offered by the CDCs. Corbitt points out that for some families, child care becomes a “luxury,” with parents cobbling together care from family, friends, or even older siblings to get by.
The Financial Strain: Child Care That Breaks the Bank
Corbitt highlights one of the biggest pain points for military families—child care is expensive. While the CDCs on base are affordable, they can’t meet the needs of every family. This forces many parents to turn to off-base child care options, where prices can be staggering. In some areas, child care can cost as much as a mortgage payment, leaving families financially strapped.
For military families, this creates a frustrating dilemma. Do they pay for child care and watch their savings dwindle, or do they leave one parent (usually the spouse) out of the workforce entirely? Corbitt emphasizes that this financial strain is a major barrier for military families who are already facing the high costs of frequent relocations and the challenges of single-income living during deployments.
Some families make the tough decision to forgo child care altogether, with one spouse becoming a full-time caregiver. While this can be a rewarding choice for some, for others, it represents a sacrifice of personal goals, career advancement, and financial stability. Corbitt argues that military families shouldn’t have to choose between their finances and reliable child care.
The Emotional Toll: Burnout, Isolation, and Stress
Beyond the financial burden, Corbitt draws attention to the emotional toll that child care shortages take on military families. Many military spouses experience burnout as they try to juggle parenting, household responsibilities, and the unique challenges of military life without reliable child care. Add in a deployed spouse or frequent moves, and the stress multiplies.
Corbitt points out that military spouses, in particular, can feel isolated when they can’t access child care. With no time for self-care, socializing, or even running errands alone, these spouses often carry the mental and emotional load of family life with little respite. It’s no wonder that many military families report feelings of exhaustion and burnout.
In this environment, the lack of child care becomes more than just a logistical problem—it becomes a mental health issue. Corbitt stresses that child care isn’t just about giving parents a break; it’s about creating space for military spouses to pursue their own careers, education, and well-being. The emotional well-being of military families is directly linked to access to quality, reliable child care.
How OCCP is Bridging the Gap
So, how is the Operation Child Care Project working to solve these challenges? Corbitt’s approach is multi-faceted, focusing on policy advocacy, community support, and innovative solutions tailored to military families.
One of OCCP’s primary goals is to advocate for increased funding and support for military child care programs. Corbitt and her team are working with military leadership and policymakers to push for more resources for Child Development Centers, with the hope of reducing waitlists and making on-base care more accessible to families.
Corbitt also emphasizes the need for flexible child care solutions that fit the unpredictable nature of military life. Whether it’s offering more part-time or drop-in care options or creating partnerships with local child care providers near military installations, OCCP is committed to finding creative ways to meet the needs of military families.
Another key focus for OCCP is building a community of support. Corbitt explains that many military families feel isolated when they move to a new duty station, especially if they don’t have immediate access to child care. By connecting military families with each other and with local resources, OCCP is helping to create a network of support that can ease the transition to new communities and reduce the stress of finding child care.
Why Child Care Solutions Matter
At its core, Corbitt’s work with OCCP is about more than just child care—it’s about creating a strong foundation for military families to thrive. When military families have access to reliable, affordable child care, it opens up a world of possibilities. Parents can pursue their careers, military spouses can engage in self-care, and families can enjoy a better work-life balance, even during the most challenging deployments.
Corbitt believes that by solving the child care crisis, we’re investing in the well-being of military families and, by extension, the strength of our military. After all, when families are supported, service members can focus on their missions without worrying about what’s happening at home.
Easing the Child Care Burden, One Family at a Time
Kayla Corbitt and the Operation Child Care Project are taking on one of the most pressing issues facing military families today: child care. By advocating for better resources, pushing for policy changes, and creating community-driven solutions, OCCP is making child care more accessible, affordable, and flexible for military families across the country.
Military life may be full of unique challenges, but child care doesn’t have to be one of them. Thanks to Corbitt’s leadership and OCCP’s innovative approach, more military families are finding the support they need to juggle it all and thrive.
Takeaways:
Long waitlists for on-base child care leave military families scrambling for off-base options, often at a high cost.
Child care costs can break the bank, leading many families to sacrifice personal goals and careers to afford care.
Military spouses face burnout and isolation when they can’t access reliable child care, impacting their mental health.
OCCP advocates for more funding and creative solutions, pushing for increased access to Child Development Centers and flexible care options.
Community support is key, with OCCP connecting military families to local resources and each other.
For more details and to explore Kayla Corbitt’s full interview, check out the original article here.
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