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One Nation, United by Child Care

There’s something undeniably magical about the Fourth of July. The fireworks. The grilled hot dogs. The feeling — however fleeting — that we’re all in this together.

But lately, it feels like “together” is a word we aren’t supposed to use (or that many of us aren’t really feeling right now). Everywhere you look, it’s red vs. blue, us vs. them, left vs. right. And sure, politics is designed to pit people against each other, but our politicians often don’t represent what we, the people, want and need. In fact, moms and dads actually agree on a lot more than we realize.

Take child care. In a survey Moms First conducted we found that 84% of voters believe Congress should make child care more affordable. Eighty-six percent say affordable child care helps families make ends meet.

That’s not just Democrats. That’s not just Republicans. That’s Americans — parents, grandparents, caregivers — who want the same damn thing: to raise kids who are healthy, happy, and thriving.

And yet here we are, in 2025, in a country where parents are going into debt so they can pay the daycare bill. Where moms are working two jobs just to afford a place that will keep their babies safe while they work. Where families spend more on child care than they do on rent.

We can argue about a lot in this country. But we shouldn’t have to argue about child care.

Who Are We Really Looking Out For?

I think about my own parents a lot these days. They immigrated to this country with nothing but hope. They believed in the American dream — not as a slogan on a bumper sticker, but as a real promise: that if you work hard, your family will have a better life. That your kids will grow up safe, cared for, and with endless opportunities.

But right now, that promise is being broken for millions of families. More than half of parents with kids under five are actively worried about how they’ll afford child care. More so than ever, parents are waking up with that pit of anxiety in their stomachs, wondering how they’ll make it all work week over week.

And here’s what gets me: making child care more affordable isn’t a partisan issue. This isn’t about left or right. It’s about right and wrong.

And still, here we are, fighting the same fights year after year. Watching the wealthiest Americans reap the benefits while parents are told to bootstrap their way out of an impossible affordability crisis.

But we’ve got to stay in the fight — and be louder and bolder and stronger than those before us. We’ve got to be the generation that ends this cycle and builds something better.

It Takes Courage to Create the Country Families Deserve

This Independence Day, as you sit under the night sky, watching fireworks light up your neighborhood, I want you to ask yourself:

What would it look like to build a country that has families’ backs?

Imagine an America where child care isn’t a crisis but a cornerstone of our economy. Where paid family leave is a given, not a privilege for the few. Where the people raising the next generation aren’t scraping by — they’re thriving. Because that’s what builds strong communities, strong families, and yes, a strong nation.

Patriotism has never been about blind loyalty. True patriotism is loving your country enough to have the courage to stand up — even to those in power, including our own politicians — and demand to make it better for everyone.

It’s standing up and saying: We can do better. We must do better. And we will do better — if we have the courage to demand it.

Bridging the Divide for Our Kids

Finding common ground starts with our shared belief that when kids thrive, America thrives. And in the spirit of coming together as Americans, share this email with someone you know who might be on the other side of the aisle — or just fed up with politics altogether these days. Show them there’s reason to hope that we can make progress on issues that truly matter.

Thanks for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter before you kick off your holiday festivities. At the end of the day, this is the truth: we all want the same thing — to raise happy, healthy kids who can chase their dreams. Let’s build a country that makes that possible. Let’s also demand more from our politicians — and hold them accountable when they fail us.

One nation, caring for all.

 
In unity,
Reshma Saujani