Amen, Liz the Squeak.

I would also add as a loss, here in these (Middle Class) United States, anyway, the loss of the ability of a single income to support a family. Most children have two working parents these days (if they have two parents, but that's another subject). The importance (IMHO) to have a parent at home when a child comes home from school, and on days when there is no school, etc. seems to now be a luxury few families can afford. Those that do have to give up other things (like music lessons and computers) that the other children take for granted.

Not to rag on Day Care, but how can day care teach each child the values his/her own family follows? I'm sure (I hope!) day care providers care about the children in their charge and do their best, but can every scraped knee get "healed" with a kiss when there are 10 (or more) other children clamoring for attention? Do the children that grow up in Day Care have childhood memories of days in the park with Mom, or a train ride to Chicago to see Grandma?

Give me back the days when one parent (either gender) could support the family, and one parent could be...A PARENT!

campfire