Children Don't Belong in Daycare.

[clarlce]

I found this quite interesting:

childrensneeds.homestead.com/daycare1.html

Clearly its going to annoy a lot of full-time working mothers. I personally feel SOMEONE should stay at home with the kids, if they can (being honest about whether or not they can). Try not knee-jerk hate it because i think the points she makes, while a bit sickly, are convincing.

I was thinking about what other aspects of home-life children pick up on that they simply couldn't get from a nursery or even a nanny who comes to the home.

Childminders are, these days, fully qualified (frequently to degree level) in the ins and outs of caring for children. Now, on the surface, this looks fantastic. Why have children raised by their parents, who may or may not know what they're doing, when our children could be raised by trained professionals.

There was something just a bit icky about the phrase 'raising children with trained professionals' that didn't sit well with me. What about the spontaneity of parents? the mistakes? the political in-correctness? The government rants? The swearing? The argument that parents can also be abusive and neglectful is true but that is a separate issue. Im talking about run of the mill, average, doing the best they can parents - the majority.

Will the characters of our children become monochrome because they're spending most of their time in the care of 'Government formed, professional parents' who, despite years of training, will NEVER adore their charges as a parent would?

I know its a subtle point and im not even certain it holds any water - just wondered what anyone else thought.

Is there something to be said for the kind of parenting our grandparents knew? That slap-dash, imperfect, frustrated, conditionally loving, real-life parenting.

[harrietthespook]

Are you a recently made redundant News of the World journalist touting for work at the Mail?

If so, you have my sympathies. It sucks to be laid off. The Mail pays well - bills are bills.

Yes you will wind a lot of people up with this post. Have fun.

[clarlce]

lol. funny and topical! rock on sister!

[MovingAndScared]

do you have kids OP -and are you a SAHM - just wondering? If so fine you are entititled to your veiws.
I don't agree that someone - by which the implication is the mother - should be at home - although I do agree that sometimes parents do imply their childcare is better at looking after their kids than they would be which I don't agree with either - although lots of SAHM if it isn't their choice could get v depressed and not be a v good parent because of that
And I choose a childminder as it was home based care - so you might be posting on the wrong section

[Lizcat]

You can love you child, but go screaming lala stuck at home. Surely it is better for that child to be with 'professional parents' so of the time and with happy well adjusted parents the rest of time.
It's not black and white there are lots and lots of shades of grey.

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello there,

We're going to move this thread to 'Other Subjects' as we think it might sit better there.

MNHQ

[clarlce]

Lizcat - sure, of course. it is definitely, without question a bad, bad, bad idea to have just one person caring for children full-time. I'm talking about full-time daycare kids and how such sterile parenting may be affecting them.

[Lizcat]

My DD was a fulltime daycare kid both she and I were much healthier for it - as I say many many shades of grey.

[BillShiphrr]

That is too hard to be a parent without the help of the daycare centres. The daycare is very important for the cild

[NooreMo]

Daycare is important for both parents and kids. When you get a baby, it does not mean your social life ends. Of course, you have to spend some time taking care of them. I mean, the first year. But after that parents, especially mommies should come back to their normal lives. Otherwise, they will be able to do that twenty years later. But it can be too late. That is why sometimes I meet forty years women with no friends living an unhappy life. What for? Put your kids in daycare centers. Now there are a lot of great ones. For example, one of the the preschools Brooklyn Little Scholars daycare center prepares kids for school. Children spend a great time there. So, parents can work and live their normal lives.