Parents explain the financial burden childcare places on them and how it hampers their families’ futures

• How did childcare in the US become so absurdly expensive?

Childcare in the US has long been broken, forcing parents to forgo work opportunities, scramble to piece together a patchwork of care, and pay enormous amounts of money that often rival their rent or mortgage. Guardian US readers told us of their struggles, and how life could be different if there was a better system in place.