When I was a kid “child care” was either your grandparents or the neighborhood kid watching 6 screaming toddlers at once.
I’m pretty sure that doesn’t cost more than college today :).
Our standards have just risen massively.
Many parents would probably love to have grandparents close enough and willing to watch the kids while they work.
We’re forced to move away from our grandparents and family neighborhood help to have careers to afford to live