Parenthood by
Proxy,
by Dr. Laura C.
Schlessinger,
© 2000, p. 250 |
“After ten years
of work in a quality center, countless certificates, seminars, workshops,
and a B.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, I find myself in full agreement
with your urging parents to stay home with their children. Turnover
rates due to illness, leave of absence, retirement, vacations, quitting, and
part-time help are quite high. The children always have to adapt to
new people on a continuous basis, thus inhibiting the bonding process.
Even with government sanctioned teacher/child ratios, no matter how
qualified or caring the staff, there is only so much time workers can spend
with each child. The health, welfare and safety of the group become a
priority, making it impossible to attend to each child’s needs. What
children need are mature parents, who provide a consistent, nurturing,
quality of care, and a home that is more than a pit stop between the car and
day care center.
Category = Caregiver, Quality |
Parenthood by
Proxy,
by Dr. Laura C.
Schlessinger,
© 2000, p. 250 |
“As a former day
care worker, I can assure you that I never met a child who opted for day
care over staying home.”
Category = Caregiver, Quality |
Parenthood by
Proxy,
by Dr. Laura C.
Schlessinger,
© 2000, p. 251 |
“I have worked
in five highly regarded day care centers in a middle and upper middle class
large town. What I have seen there makes me plead with new mothers or
mothers-to-be. Please, do not put a child in an institutionalized
center (babies left crying, bottles propped up instead of held, scolding
children who need attention and love, etc.)…”
Category = Caregiver, Quality |
Parenthood by
Proxy,
by Dr. Laura C.
Schlessinger,
© 2000, p. 252 |
Yet another
mother is quoted as saying (Boston Herald, December 5, 1999), “My
husband and I reluctantly toughed it out for three months as Ally continued
to have trouble adjusting (to day care).”
(This quote enrages me because) this woman talks about her own “toughing it
out” experience, as though we are to feel for her (not her
daughter).
Category = Quality |
