Justifying Day Care

[C-Mac]

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....justify_d.html
Justifying day care
"As if I don’t already feel guilty for putting my son in day care at the tender age of three months, a new study shows that the more time children spend in center-based care before kindergarten, the more likely they’ll fight, disobey and argue, according to their 6th grade teachers.

The increase in problem behavior was slight, but studies like this inspire me to look for the silver lining. And I always return to the same thing: "the hygiene hypothesis," or the belief that early exposure to germs helps the immune system develop properly.

While most children get six to eight infections a year, children in day care bring home twice that number, or about one a month. Day-care settings --or petri dishes, as my pediatrician calls them-- have high levels of indoor allergens and have been shown to incubate and spread antibiotic resistant bacteria.

This sounds like a no-brainer: Keep your children at home! But since most of us don't have that option--63 percent of U.S. children under the age of five spend 37 hours a week in child care--I manage to get through the work day by reminding myself my kids might turn out healthier in the long run.

Some research bears this out. A 2005 study in the British Medical Journal showed that children who attended day care in the first few months of life are less likely to develop leukemia than children who do not, most likely because they were protected from exposure to common infections. Similar associations have been reported for Type 1diabetes and allergies and asthma in children.

Still, even if they have stronger immune systems, is it worth sending them to day care if they’re going to have behavioral issues that persist at least until 6th grade? That, according to the research, published in the March/April issue of "Child Development," is up to the parents.

The researchers involved with the longest and most comprehensive study of child care in the U.S. cautioned that parenting quality was a much more important predictor of child development than the type, quantity or quality of child care.

Ultimately, while quality day care is important, a quality home environment matters more."



We had to do without some things obviuosly but the wife and I both agreed that her being at home while the children were young, was far more important than her having a career or us having a new car or house. We now get compliments all the time about our kids and their behavior and I truly feel that this is one of the main reasons why. I do understand that not everyone's situation allows mom to stay home(especially single moms), but I do think that there are many cases that if they just tried to live a little simpler, they could pull it off.

[Simplex3]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

Maybe the ability for your children to go to the best schools? Get the best education? Have the clothes they need? Food? Shelter?

I think a career can give a lot in return.

My kids are both dressed every day. They go to good schools, though the American education system is a f**king joke. We challenge them at home, by the time the school goes over something it's old hat to my kids. You don't need money for education in this country.

You'd also be surprised what you can feed and house your family on if you spend wisely.

Remember, "poor" does not equal cable TV, two mobile phones, two cars, a big screen, eating out 5+ times a week, buying the name brand at the store...

[bogie]

Originally Posted by Simplex3

My question to you is this:

What the f**k is so important about a career? What will it ever give you in return that really matters in the long run?

This question is just too stupid to answer.

[pikesome]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

Maybe the ability for your children to go to the best schools? Get the best education? Have the clothes they need? Food? Shelter?

I think a career can give a lot in return.

All material goods. People live happy, well adjusted lives without most of that. I had clothes and shelter and food without my mother working outside the house. She did as we got older, she always said it was to get some time away from me and my 3 siblings.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Simplex3

My kids are both dressed every day. They go to good schools, though the American education system is a f**king joke. We challenge them at home, by the time the school goes over something it's old hat to my kids. You don't need money for education in this country.

You'd also be surprised what you can feed and house your family on if you spend wisely.

Remember, "poor" does not equal cable TV, two mobile phones, two cars, a big screen, eating out 5+ times a week, buying the name brand at the store...

I don't disagree with you on this point. But feeding a husband, wife, 8 year old boy, 2 year old boy, 1 year old boy, and new born - due in September - costs quite a bit.

For some, earning say $300 a week, paying $250 in daycare, means you are able to "hold on" until the next paycheck.

[bogie]

Originally Posted by Simplex3

My kids are both dressed every day. They go to good schools, though the American education system is a f**king joke. We challenge them at home, by the time the school goes over something it's old hat to my kids. You don't need money for education in this country.

You'd also be surprised what you can feed and house your family on if you spend wisely.

Remember, "poor" does not equal cable TV, two mobile phones, two cars, a big screen, eating out 5+ times a week, buying the name brand at the store...

You are Gods gift to parenting. Congratulations on being perfect.

[Mr. Plow]

Not to mention the simple interaction with people other than mom & dad.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

Not to mention the simple interaction with people other than mom & dad.

Oh yes, this is a very important feature for 1 and 2 year old children. The more the merrier, in fact it's a GOOD thing for infants and toddlers to see more of their daycare provider than their own parents.

Why don't people just come out and say that they wish their kids could have at least one of their parents home on a full time basis so they never had to use day care but they just can't afford it or aren't willing to make the sacrufuce and put in the effort that being full time parents requires?

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Simplex3

My question to you is this:

What the f**k is so important about a career? What will it ever give you in return that really matters in the long run?

I am glad that my mom stayed home when I was little. She quit working when I was little, and didn't go back until my youngest brother was old enough to come home and be by himself after school.

I'm really grateful for it. They definitely sacrificed financially.. my mom was a nurse, probably made more than my dad made at his blue-collar job, but I almost always had a parent with me all the time instead of being dumped off at some daycare place at 7AM and picked up at 7PM like a lot of kids are nowadays. I think some people nowadays aren't willing to sacrifice the bigger house or the nicer car for their kids because they don't want to lose the additional income. My parents did and I think I owe them for it, a huge debt.

I think that it really helped me develop. We did something 'educational' daily, she worked with me a lot on learning how to read, all those things. I could play outside with the neighborhood kids and get plenty of socialization that way, and without being relegated to an inconvenience to my parents' careers. I knew that my brothers and I were the #1 priority in our parents lives. Besides the developmental and bonding benefits I think that mentally, that really means something to a kid.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Oh yes, this is a very important feature for 1 and 2 year old children. The more the merrier, in fact it's a GOOD thing for infants and toddlers to see more of their daycare provider than their own parents.

Why don't people just come out and say that they wish their kids could have at least one of their parents home on a full time basis so they never had to use day care but they just can't afford it or aren't willing to make the sacrufuce and put in the effort that being full time parents requires?

My 1 & 2 year old love playing with other kids. It's cool when I go pick them up and they are in the yard running around, chasing each other, laughing. Or riding on the like bikes. Brings a smile to my face at the end of a long day.

We are preparing for my wife to be at home with our newest child in September. 3 kids in daycare means spending more than she makes. It's just not logical anymore.

[bogie]

My Mother was a stay at home Mom and raised 6 wonderful children. One of them was me. I am very appreciative of that. That was in the 1950's 60's and 70's. It is a very different time now. Some are fortunate to have a life style that is the same as the 50's, some are not. Some of the people that opt to send their kids to daycare do it out of laziness, many do it ot of necessity. I don't know everyones story, but I choose not to generalize.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by bogie

My Mother was a stay at home Mom and raised 6 wonderful children. One of them was me. I am very appreciative of that. That was in the 1950's 60's and 70's. It is a very different time now. Some are fortunate to have a life style that is the same as the 50's, some are not. Some of the people that opt to send their kids to daycare do it out of laziness, many do it ot of necessity. I don't know everyones story, but I choose not to generalize.

There are some that do it out of laziness. I had one of them in my child's daycare. She didn't work until 10a or so, but brought the kids at 6:45a. The latest my daycare stays open is 6:30p or so, that's when she picked them up.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

My 1 & 2 year old love playing with other kids. It's cool when I go pick them up and they are in the yard running around, chasing each other, laughing. Or riding on the like bikes. Brings a smile to my face at the end of a long day.

We are preparing for my wife to be at home with our newest child in September. 3 kids in daycare means spending more than she makes. It's just not logical anymore.

I'm sure it's cool to drive up and see your little one's running and playing in someone else's yard.
Wait til you see how it feels to drive up and see them doing the same thing in their own yard.
Best wishes with your newest (and other two) child and to your wife as she makes the transition.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I'm sure it's cool to drive up and see your little one's running and playing in someone else's yard.
Wait til you see how it feels to drive up and see them doing the same thing in their own yard.

Christ. I give up. I'll just buy my kids some toys so that they can enjoy the tiny 17 hours a day that I give to them. At least I can enjoy some peace and quiet.

[Simplex3]

Originally Posted by bogie

My Mother was a stay at home Mom and raised 6 wonderful children. One of them was me. I am very appreciative of that. That was in the 1950's 60's and 70's. It is a very different time now. Some are fortunate to have a life style that is the same as the 50's, some are not. Some of the people that opt to send their kids to daycare do it out of laziness, many do it ot of necessity. I don't know everyones story, but I choose not to generalize.

I think that's a total cop-out. Your parents were able to do that back then because they chose to make the sacrifices. You could today if you wanted to.

[Mile High Mania]

These discussions are always such fun sometimes...