Idea #1 : Grandparents and Childcare

I have sat and watched my siblings, friends and colleagues with newborns and young children all stress and fret over childcare; from cost to availability – it typically comes down to one or the other. I have watched as some lean on grandparents, and family members. Others may have to take extended parental leave. Others may have to put their children in a place that may not always align with their values but it’s the only option.

In tandem to this I watch my parents and my friends’ parents come into retirement. Good for them, they worked hard! As they enter this new phase of life, I have also learned that many pensions in Canada are not indexed meaning that those who have sunk 30, 40+ years into a career are stuck in a position of fixed income despite how the world moves. We all know it is getting more expensive.

So here is the idea – let’s take the 10$ per day childcare rates the federal government brought in and open this to grandparents who may have the availability and want to help care for their grandchildren. It gives families a chance to build closer bonds, grandparents on fixed incomes to make a little extra income and take the strain off the childcare system. It might also then assist in elder fitness, both mental and physical - a great topic to research.

I am not here to flush out all the details. What I am here to ask is, what do you think?