An unknown number of students at Iowa State juggle classes and parenting.

These students have the challenge of finding affordable day care options while trying to afford the rising costs of tuition.

Michelle Cook, graduate student in human development and family studies, completed her thesis paper for her master’s degree on stress levels of student parents compared with non-student parents.

Cook said that many of the parents in her stress study indicated they would use programs specifically for students with children.

“Child care during the day, inclusions of families in special events and child care at the library are all things students want to see,” she said.

Finding affordable child care is a source of stress for many student parents.

The average cost of day care for a toddler ranges from $416-$770 per month, said Julia Hagen, program coordinator for human resource services on campus.

Hagen organizes university child care at the Veterinary Medicine college, University Child Care at Pammel Court and the Comfort Zone. The three centers offer child care to students and faculty.

Of the 160 children allowed into the three programs, 68 percent are children of students, Hagen said. The programs are currently full, and she said they won’t be expanding without more financial support for the centers.

“Each center has a waiting list of over 100 children,” Hagen said.

She credits the popularity of the centers to prices and quality.

“The sliding-fee scale we charge offers reduced prices to lower income families and makes the centers popular,” Hagen said. “The high quality of care we offer because of our accreditation also attracts students to our facilities.”

Kirsten Cory, mother of a five-month old and sophomore in pre-journalism and mass communication, disagreed with Hagen.

She said that while a sliding-fee scale helps and the quality of care is exceptionally high, the centers are still “incredibly overpriced.”

Because of the increasing financial hardship on student parents, Hagen created a day care assistance program for children called CCAMPIS, Campus Childcare Access Means Parents in School. She said all awards are based on financial need.

The assistance program offers $78,000 annually to student families, Hagen said.

“Every little bit helps,” she said. “But what we are offering won’t come anywhere close to the kind of expenses student parents are looking at.

“College students with children are walking out of college with 49 percent more loans than students without children,” Hagen said.

Cory agrees expenses are “what kill me in the long run.”

She works at a nursing home two days a week to pay expenses but said she turns to her parents for help.

“All of my son’s clothes come from my dad,” Cory said. “And when I really need help, my mom buys formula or diapers for my son.”

Judy Dolphin, YWCA coordinator, said they offer some programs student parents are looking for. “We have a babysitters list that at least 125 families come in to get every year,” Dolphin said. “We also offer programs on parenting.”

Although Iowa State only offers a few programs to help parents, Hagen believes that student parents are finding their own ways to survive.

“While it is a shame that we don’t offer more programs to help these students out, the students with children are the better students,” Hagen said.

Sherry Washburn, professor in human development and family studies, applauds all student parents.

“I find it fascinating how most students come home from school and can focus on their homework,” she said. “With a child, your first focus is on the child, and then your homework – if you have time.”

Hagen agrees and advises students that although the temptation to work at night to provide for children is high, “you should be an adult from 8-5 and be a parent for the rest of the night.”

Hagen tells students to get all the help they can and not be afraid to take out loans for school.

“When their children grow up no parent ever says, `I wish I would have worked more,’ ” Hagen said. “They all say they wish they would have spent more time with their children.”