But if, in fact, staying home is as important as the conservatives like to say, then it ought not to be a class privilege. And you do not make it happen by denying funding for childcare and giving people tax incentives. You do it by providing paid parental leave. We should expand the dependent care tax credit to include people who decide to stay home. At the same time, we have to build the kind of high-quality childcare and the kind of flexible jobs that allow people to put together the best package.
People like to talk about whether childcare is good or bad.
It seems to me that this is one of the few win-win situations left in the country. The happier a parent is, the happier the kids are. So, if you're happier staying home and can afford it, good for you. And we should make that easier for you. Recent research shows that the architecture of children's brains is strongly influenced by their intellectual and emotional experiences during the first three years.