Angelica

Breathing Again: How Child Care Helped My Family Move Forward

I’m a mother of five, and for a long time, I felt like I was drowning.

Angelica

During COVID, I became pregnant with my fifth child and had no idea how I would manage child care. Around the same time, my middle son, who is now 12, began experiencing suicidal thoughts when he was just seven. He was hospitalized, and later doctors diagnosed him with ADHD.

It was one of the hardest times our family has faced.

Not long after that, I quit my job of eight years as a behavioral therapist so I could focus on my children and help my son get the support he needed. Everything I had built felt like it was slipping away.

I decided the only way forward was education. I had just one class left before transferring to a university, so I enrolled at Los Angeles Valley College, determined to finish. But I had no child care. I was breastfeeding my baby and ready to take her with me to class because I felt like I had no other option. I knew I had to keep going. Not just for me, but for my kids.

When you’re in that position, you are literally underwater and cannot breathe.

Angelica

The Lifeline I Needed

Child care support through the Child Care Resource Center made that possible.

Without it, I would not have been able to stay in school or keep my family moving forward.

At the time, we were already stretched thin. Half of what we earned went to food alone. Families like mine are juggling rent, groceries, gas, and bills.

A spot finally opened from the waiting list, and we barely qualified. That support gave our family room to breathe.

With reliable child care, I was able to continue my education and eventually graduate from California State University, Northridge in 2024. Now I’m studying for my teaching credential because I want to become a teacher and support students who may need someone to believe in them.

Around that same time, we also learned that my youngest daughter, who was born during COVID, was on the autism spectrum. She couldn’t talk yet, and I was terrified to send her to child care because she couldn’t tell me if something was wrong.

But the teachers there were incredible. They helped her socialize, supported her development, and made sure she was safe and cared for.

They also helped with something many families depend on: food. My daughter was a very picky eater, but the meals they served helped introduce her to new foods and made sure she was getting proper nutrition.

Child care isn’t a luxury. It’s the difference between moving forward and falling apart.

Angelica

Why Access Matters

Our family has always worked hard. My husband and I both worked, and now my older children help contribute to the household while also going to school.

We were in a place many families understand: we made money, but not enough to make things easy, and sometimes too much to qualify for certain programs.

There were even times when we didn’t have a reliable car and relied on buses to get to school, work, and therapy appointments.

Without child care, I honestly don’t know how we would have made it through.

How are we supposed to move our children forward if families don’t have the same opportunities?

Angelica

Today, my son is thriving on his school’s robotics team. My youngest daughter is talking, learning, and growing every day.

Child care gave my family the chance to keep going—to work, to study, and to build a better future.

Every family deserves that chance.

Share