Childcare costs in Florida have surged well beyond federal affordability standards, with more than 85 percent of families in the state now spending double the recommended amount of their household income on care, according to a new Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta study. The rising expenses are forcing parents to make difficult choices about work hours and in some cases leave their jobs entirely, with Fort Pierce mother Siedah White among more than 100 people who shared their struggles with the issue on social media.

White, a certified nurse assistant, left her job to become a full-time mother after daycare costs for her four children became unsustainable. She paid $300 per week for each infant and $275 per week for toddlers, expenses that consumed roughly 20 percent of her household income. White told WPTV on Tuesday that the financial burden prevented her family from meeting basic goals.

"I was just working just to pay childcare, and we weren't able to meet our family goals as far as needing to move into a larger place and upgrading our family vehicle," she said. White now hosts a video mom blog on Instagram and TikTok.

The Federal Reserve study examined childcare costs in Georgia and Florida, finding that 85.4 percent of Florida families spend more than 7 percent of their income on childcare, far exceeding the affordability benchmark set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The estimated weekly costs for infant and toddler care in Florida average $268, while preschool-aged children cost an estimated $208 per week.

The median percentage of income families must pay for childcare reaches 13.9 percent. Between 2020 and 2024, childcare prices increased 29 percent compared to a 22 percent rise in overall prices during the same period.

The study concludes that childcare expenses are putting significant financial pressure on parents throughout Florida and driving difficult decisions about employment. White said maintaining four children in daycare proved impossible for her family's budget. Her experience resonated widely, drawing responses from more than 100 people who commented about childcare costs when she shared her situation on WPTV's Facebook page. The Federal Reserve report highlights how the affordability crisis is reshaping workforce participation for parents across the state.