Long daycare wait times contribute to Nashville’s daycare crisis, sources say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Several parents said finding safe, affordable childcare for their kids is a challenge.

Nashville mom Clanique Cunningham said it took months to get her three-year-old child in daycare.

”It was very hard because everywhere is just like a waitlist, so it was kind of difficult trying to find child care,” Cunningham said.

She said the lack of good daycare options is forcing some parents to make a choice.

“You don’t want to be stuck at the last minute trying to see if you’re going to be able to go to work or stay at home with your child, which is difficult,” she said.

Rhonda Mynheir, director of Martha O’Bryan’s early learning center, says parents shouldn’t have to choose.

”Parents are struggling,” she said. “They’re struggling to find care at all. Period. But they’re struggling to find quality.”

The early learning center opened around 80 slots for their early learning center to help address this. The slots are for children 15 months to five years old.

”The amount of quality slots available in Tennessee alone the need is probably twice the number of slots,” Mynheir said.

She added even if you’re not a parent, this is your problem too.

”There are studies that show that if you had good quality programming, helping children with behavior modifications and be able to regulate their emotions, you would spend 30% less in resources in the elementary school level on those types of things,” she said.

Now Cunningham has found a good daycare for her 3-year-old daughter and hopes she’s setting her up for success.