Moxi Childcare: Flexible, Part-Time Quality Care

0:00On this March 19th in Birmingham, here's what is making headlines. Childcare costs are skyrocketing across the country, forcing many families to crunch the numbers on whether one parent should quit working. In places like Homewood, Alabama, parents face prices that often exceed their take-home pay, making it tough to find safe, reliable spots for kids. Federal guidelines say, childcare should cost no more than 7% of a household's income to be affordable. Yet the average yearly expense for an infant and a four-year-old adds up to $28,190. That means a family would need to earn over $402,000 annually to hit that mark while most households with two kids bring in, about 145,000. Parents like Diane Bolton, a mom with young children, call the prices astronomical. She struggles with long wait lists and says it's hard to find centers where kids are safe and well-care for. Many feel stuck paying full weeks even if they only need a few days. To tackle this, Moxie Childcare opened its first center in Homewood back in August of 2025.

1:04It lets parents book just three hours or up to three months at a time, paying only for what they need. Founder Corey Fane Forest started it after realizing flexible, part-time quality care didn't exist when she became a mom. Experts offer tips to cut costs, like considering a stay-at-home parent, getting family help, spacing out kids' ages, tweaking work schedules, claiming the child independent care tax credit, or sharing a nanny with another family. The average weekly daycare fee sits at $321, so these options can make a big difference. Appreciation to our sponsor for backing this episode. Some people meditate, I just lay down and press play, S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com.