OHIO — Between inflation rates, home prices and child care fees, most parents with young children will tell you that finances in 2024 are a difficult topic.

According to the most recent report from the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for women is ticking upward.

In June, white adult women saw their unemployment rate rise to 3.1% from 3.0%.

For Black and Hispanic women, the rates also increased to 5.7% from 5.2% and 4.5% from 4.1% respectively.

This trend was in line with the overall unemployment rate, which went to 4.1% from 4.0% the previous month.

While every situation is different, one reason could be the continual high costs of child care in the U.S..

Families are forced to make some difficult choices, however one Ohio wife and mother is working to flip the script to make being a working parent just a little easier.

When Kayla Wilson’s husband clocks into work, she’s on full-time mom duty with their two-year-old son Wyatt.

Thanks to puzzles and toys in the playroom, she’s able to sneak in emails and get her own work done.

“It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done, being a stay-at-home, work-from-home mom, but it’s definitely very busy,” Wilson said.

Wilson served for eight years in the U.S. Air Force and worked in mental health.

When she discovered she was pregnant, she decided to separate from the military.

She has a Bachelor’s degree and is working on her Masters, but being home is where she says she needs to be. 

“A lot of it for me was I wanted to be present for my son, but I do feel like there’s definitely a bigger societal issue. For one, the cost of child care, basically would be my full income,” said Wilson.

She’s not alone in the struggle.

2,000 families provided feedback in the Care.com 2024 Cost of Care Report.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, child care is considered affordable when it costs families only 7% of their household income.

However, families report spending 24% of their household income, versus 27% the previous year.

 Once Wyatt was born, Wilson was on the hunt to find a place where parents could keep an eye on their kids while they played and get work done at the same time.

“Even on a national level, we found very few places like that that existed,” she said.

That’s where the idea for Playground42 came to life.

Wilson is working to get the new concept of an indoor playground with a co-working space up and running.

“Being a new parent, something I struggled with a lot was feeling alone. Coming from the military background, I didn’t have family here. I didn’t really have many friends. I was still new to the area,” she said.

For Wilson, the sense of community is extremely important.

So far there have been a lot of business challenges, but every day moving into the new building is getting a little bit closer.

“Right behind you here is going to be our co-working section where all the parents will get to hangout while they watch their kids play,” Wilson said as she gave a tour.

 The building is 1,500 square feet of possibilities.

“So right here the plan is for this space is to make it a nursing mother’s room, more of a quiet area where they can come in. I want to put a little mini fridge so you can pump and nurse and have your alone time in here,” she said.

 The goal is to open by October.

It’s been a long journey, but worth it.

“Being able to be present with my son while still being able to maintain an income and giving that to other families is really the end goal,” Wilson said.

For more on Playground42, click here.