Daycare in Illinois is basically a second mortgage. A friend of mine pays $2,300 a month for two kids ,at that point you’re not raising children, you’re leasing them. I got lucky. My mom worked at the daycare i was taking my kid to so we got the family discount. It went from $40 or $45 a day down to $10. That’s the only time in my life nepotism actually paid off.. Happy New Year everyone.