America’s childcare system is in shambles, and nowhere is the fallout more evident than in Colorado, where soaring costs and scarce options are stifling family growth and economic vitality.

Our state’s fertility rate languishes at 1.48 births per woman, well below the national average of 1.62 and ranking among the lowest in the U.S. Birth rates here have plummeted 25% since 2020, the third-steepest drop nationwide, as young couples eye the prohibitive price of raising kids and opt out.

Without affordable childcare, parenthood becomes a luxury few can afford, paving the way for a cultural and economic catastrophe: a graying society bereft of the young workers needed to sustain pensions, deliver services, and drive innovation.

The crisis hits hard in military communities like Colorado Springs, home to major bases including Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, the United States Air Force Academy, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station and scores of military contractors.

Families like Payton Kinnison’s face devastating disruptions — her twins were waitlisted until 2026, forcing her to quit her job and scramble for work-from-home gigs. At nearby Fort Carson, waitlists stretch indefinitely, pushing parents into costly off-base alternatives that devour budgets.

Nationwide, a Department of Defense hiring freeze exacerbated shortages, leading to unenrollments and reduced hours at centers from Utah to New Mexico. Costs have skyrocketed: one Utah family’s weekly bill jumped from $210 to $605 after losing an on-base spot. Military spouses, often the system’s backbone, are relocating constantly, worsening staffing woes and leaving centers undercapacity despite demand.

This isn’t just a family issue. Without children, who will fund Social Security and Medicare as boomers retire? Who will staff hospitals, build homes, or innovate in tech hubs like Denver? Colorado’s economy, reliant on a vibrant workforce, risks stagnation as birth rates hover below replacement levels. The childcare market’s failure — parents paying unaffordable tuitions while providers scrape by — demands free-market reforms to boost supply and choice, not endless subsidies that distort incentives.

Political leaders should heed ideas from thoughtful analyses, like those in recent Wall Street Journal discussions on mending the system. First, deregulate to unleash supply: ease stringent staff-to-child ratios and zoning laws that hinder home-based daycares, allowing more providers to enter the market without compromising safety. This lowers barriers, reduces costs, and expands options in underserved areas like rural Colorado.

Second, expand tax credits and vouchers: enhance the child and dependent care tax credit, making it refundable and larger for middle-class families, empowering them to choose providers competitively. Vouchers for low-income households could stimulate innovation, much like school choice programs.

Third, incentivize employer involvement: offer tax breaks for corporations building on-site centers or subsidizing employee care, as seen in successful models at tech firms. In Colorado, where companies like Lockheed Martin employ thousands near military bases, this could align business needs with family support.

Fourth, promote flexible models: encourage co-ops and tech platforms matching parents with caregivers, fostering entrepreneurship and efficiency without heavy government oversight.

Fifth, streamline licensing: cut red tape on training requirements to attract more workers, including military spouses, into the field.

The military, corporations, and state, local, and county governments must collaborate on these fixes. Colorado lawmakers could pilot deregulation in high-need areas like El Paso County.

Without action, we court demographic decline — a society of retirees with empty playgrounds and crumbling infrastructure. Free markets, properly unleashed, can nurture families and secure our future. Let’s build a system where parenthood is a joy, not a financial folly.