Lawmakers propose bill to help ease child care costs for families

Lawmakers in Washington have proposed solutions like paid leave and child care subsidies to ease financial pressure on families.

If it was an option, Destinee Stewart would be a stay-at-home mom.

"I feel like it's unheard of. I feel like it's just on TV," Stewart said.

For her family, it's just not financially feasible.

Stewart and her husband live in Maryland with their two kids, aged 12 and 3. She is a former teacher who now runs a child care business out of her home, and tutors on the side.

Twenty-six percent of moms in the U.S. stay at home full-time, according to the latest data. That's down 2% since the late 1980s — but it might not reflect how many moms would prefer to stay home.