Jill and Eric Filiatrault left their jobs in St. Cloud, Minn., and moved back to Duluth because they had trouble finding child care to match their working hours in a hospital in St. Cloud. They have two children, ages 3 years and 8 months.
Jill's parents live in Duluth, and they provide back-up child care, though Jill said she doesn't like to impose on them. She'd like her parents to be free to just be Grandma and Grandpa to the kids and not their caregivers.
Both Jill and Eric work as respiratory therapists at St. Mary's and often work evening or early morning shifts.
They have had to juggle child care with grandparents, other relatives and any babysitter they could find, she said.
In addition to finding a caregiver who can work extended hours, it's been hard to find a place with openings for both an infant and a toddler, Jill said.
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She called about 25 child-care providers looking for openings before finding one who can help her out soon.
"It's been very frustrating," she said.
