Getty Images The high price of child care is all too familiar to my family. The monthly cost of care for our toddler usually tops $1,000 and is second only to our mortgage payment. More than 70% of parents spend at least 10% of their income on child care, and more than half spend at least $10,000 per year, according to Care.com. The coronavirus pandemic has added to the strain on working parents. Some have struggled to afford care following cuts in their pay or hours. Others have changed care providers or juggled job responsibilities and child care duties when schools and day care centers closed because of COVID-19. Parents have even left the workforce to care for their kids, removing care expenses from their budgets but losing income.