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6 Things Moms Want President Trump To Do To Make Child Care More Affordable

May 11, 2025

5 min Read

Written by Nicole Spector

Edited by Molly Sullivan

A busy Asian woman at her computer working with her daughter in her lap at their house.

cofotoisme / Getty Images/iStockphoto

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The Trump administration has been vocal about wanting couples to have more children. On Jan. 24, at the annual anti-abortion rally and march March for Life, JD Vance proclaimed, “I want more babies in the United States of America.” President Donald Trump, pointing to the birth decline in the U.S, has said he wants to be the “fertilization president.”

Though men across the U.S. are raising kids, sometimes as single parents or with male partners, the act of childbearing falls exclusively on those with reproductive organs, and though not always, those people are predominantly cis women. And it’s these women that the Trump administration, which has implemented executive orders to roll back the rights of transgender people, seems to be primarily addressing when they express their wishes for more American children. We know this because they’re trying to find ways to incentivize women to have kids.

One potential incentive Trump is mulling over is a $5,000 cash bonus to first-time mothers. It’s money that would possibly make a difference to a lot of prospective mothers. Many U.S. moms — including those with health insurance — accrue medical debt from giving birth alone. Then there’s the fact that the projected annual cost to raise a child born in 2025 is $29,419, according to a recent study by LendingTree — an increase of 25.3% since Lending Tree’s 2024 study and up 35.7% since its 2023 study.

This all leads us to ask what do mothers really want to see Trump do, not only to maybe incentivize other women to become mothers, but to help those already in the role of Mom to struggle less financially? Making child care more affordable is critical. Here’s what they’re hoping for — and they’re not unrealistic measures.

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Expand Tax Credits To Support Nontraditional Care Models

Liang Zhao, CEO at Vansary and a working mom to a 3 1/2-year-old daughter, returned to work days after giving birth because, as a sole proprietor at the time, paid leave wasn’t an option.

“I know firsthand how the lack of affordable child care creates barriers for mothers and for economic growth,” Zhao told GOBankingRates.

Zhao wants to see the Trump administration expand tax credits to support not nontraditional care models.

“A number of families rely on patchwork solutions these days — from nanny shares, part-time caregivers or child care at the gym even,” Zhao said. “A more inclusive and increased amount for child and dependent care tax credit that covers expanded models would bring more relief without forcing parents into cookie cutter options.”

Invest In Child Care Center Infrastructure

Currently, the U.S. does not have enough child care centers to accommodate demand. If the Trump administration wants to see more kids, it must provide more care centers for them to thrive. This means investing in child care center infrastructure.

“Just as roads, buildings, bridges and internet access create the infrastructure for a city to support communities, so does reliable child care,” Zhao said. “Policies that support cities and communities in building care centers and job growth in this area would be a step in providing the support mothers/ parents need.”

Incentivize Employers To Provide On-Site Child Care

Some employers provide on-site child care, but these are few and far between. Incentivizing employers to provide on-site child care to its employees with children would be a tremendous step forward.

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“A number of other countries subsidize companies to build on-site care centers, which boosts workplace participation, particularly amongst women,” Zhao said. “A side effect of this type of policy could foster a culture where working parents are destigmatized.”

Incentive Employers To Provide More Flexibility To Enable a Work-Parenting Balance

On a related note, the Trump administration could also accommodate mothers by incentivizing companies to make remote work a standardized option.

“The truth is that, while most moms still want to pursue their careers, they are also not willing to completely give up their active roles as caregivers,” said Aaron Razon, personal finance expert at Coupon Snake. “They want to have enough flexibility at work to allow them to be present at school events, doctor appointments, and other important milestones in their children’s lives, without having to choose between their jobs and their families, and flexible work arrangements can help mothers achieve this harmonious balance.”

Provide Resources for Stay-at-Home Parents

Many couples opt to have one parent stay at home/not work while the other brings in a steady income. Stay-at-home parents need support, too.

“Moms want to see President Trump provide resources for stay-at-home parents and caregivers, like mental health support, parenting classes and respite care, because the truth is that staying home to care for children, though quite rewarding, can take a physical and emotional toll on parents and caregivers, affecting not only their mental health and relationships but also their overall quality of life,” Razon said. “By providing resources to stay-at-home parents and caregivers, President Trump would be helping to alleviate the challenges they face, and making it easier for them to care for their loved ones and themselves more effectively.”

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