More Secrets of Happy Children by Steve Biddulph

Author:Steve Biddulph
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

Fearlessly facing the facts

The pluses are real but so are the negatives. For a long time, however, the negatives have been suppressed – for fear of making parents feel guilty, or for fear of inviting even closer scrutiny and questioning of the childcare ‘industry’. I think the first reason is patronising, and the second is dishonest.

Childcare professionals often have a well intentioned, but (I think) misplaced tendency to protect parents from concern. For example, there has been a long and important campaign by childcare academics and government centres to bring in national standards of childcare. This campaign was vigorously opposed by the private sector of the industry. A spokeswoman supporting better standards was quoted as saying, ‘We didn’t want to create hysteria by emphasising cases where untrained fifteen year olds were left in charge of forty-five children’. The intention is admirable, but why should parents be seen as more hysterical than any other group? Parents care intensely about their children, and should be informed.

Is the rapid and widespread adoption of childcare a terrible thing? Or is it a wonderful breakthrough for parents – setting them free to have a better life? Is it a boon for children, given that many of us no longer live close to grandparents and relatives, who used to take this role, to have professionals to care for them (instead of amateurs like their Mum and Dad)? Or does it represent a serious loss of intimacy and specialness in childhood? Taking a middle road – can childcare be used in a balanced way to augment and enhance early childhood? However we view it, the childcare boom is a huge uncontrolled social experiment, and needs to be looked at with very clear eyes.

In this chapter we’ll look at the reasons why people go back to work when their children are little, and whether these reasons are realistic. We’ll discuss whether it actually makes more sense – and brings more joy – to stay home for a few years until your children are older.

Then we’ll look at the realities of what care is available so that when you do need it, you can choose wisely. We’ll examine what the hazards of childcare are so that you can analyse whether your child is suffering ill effects. We believe that once you are armed with this information you will be better able to make a choice that is right for you.

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