It is sad but the financial state of the country is poor and these improvements in social wellbeing are unlikely to happen anytime soon, in my opinion. I anticipate it will only get more competitive. The national debt issue is reaching a cresendo.
There was a time when women had more time to recover, time to look after the children, and they decided they didn’t want that and instead wanted to go into careers alongside men.
Of course, women should be able to do so if they choose. But the privileges that working households lost by both parents being in the workforce were never compensated for in another way. It expanded the labour pool, much to the delight of corporations that could push down wages. We went from one income being ample to support a family to two barely being enough. Now, as you say, the average family has the privilege of paying mountains of money to someone else to raise their children. Women became independent from their husbands but dependent on their bosses instead.
"Oh are we going to build more houses somewhere my kids will have a good childhood?"
"Oh ok. Are we going to make healthcare more affordable?"
"Damn. OK. Uhhh, am I going to get enough time off from work to deal with everything involved in bringing a new person into the world, and if I'm a woman, deal with the physical recovery?"
"Sounds fucking awful. Maybe if my partner and I get a job that pays enough, we'll think about it"
You know how badly you need to abuse an animal before they stop procreating of their own accord?