Well, in my case, I was raised by my mother. She was home. She was in the house with (just) me, or (just) I was in the back yard while she was in the house, or when I got older I was on my bike riding around the block and she could go out on the back porch and call me if she wanted to know where I was (good lungs on that lady.)
My daughter is in daycare. It is necessary. In order to live in the state with our family and friends, and live the way we want to live, I need to work. Honestly, I want to work. Sitting at home, keeping the house, watching daytime television, and having only a four year old for conversation would put me over the edge. I work. Ergo, she goes to daycare.
In her room at the daycare, there are twelve toddlers who are three or four years old. There are two teachers - that is the state mandated staffing level. Some of the kids are well behaved, some less so (there's always one...) That means that if they are to go somewhere, each adult is trying to keep track of SIX three year olds. Of course they need mechanical assistance. The last thing that *I* ever want to hear is that you left MY kid unattended in a strange, crowded place while you ran off after the one who doesn't listen!
The adults who watch them are a lot more outnumbered than they used to be.
As far as kids changing, at the risk of sounding like an old fogey - yes, they have. They often don't listen like they used to. They often don't follow directions like they used to. They often don't understand consequences like they used to. Many parents don't want to damage their little psyches, or make them feel bad, so they get to do as they like - and kids are amoral little animals - until we teach them to be otherwise. How many kids have you seen whose parents can't control them? Now multiply that, and it's what the daycare has to deal with. Personally, I'm perpetually shocked that they don't murder the lot of them. Asking them to hold a rope is pretty reasonable.
no subject
My daughter is in daycare. It is necessary. In order to live in the state with our family and friends, and live the way we want to live, I need to work. Honestly, I want to work. Sitting at home, keeping the house, watching daytime television, and having only a four year old for conversation would put me over the edge. I work. Ergo, she goes to daycare.
In her room at the daycare, there are twelve toddlers who are three or four years old. There are two teachers - that is the state mandated staffing level. Some of the kids are well behaved, some less so (there's always one...) That means that if they are to go somewhere, each adult is trying to keep track of SIX three year olds. Of course they need mechanical assistance. The last thing that *I* ever want to hear is that you left MY kid unattended in a strange, crowded place while you ran off after the one who doesn't listen!
The adults who watch them are a lot more outnumbered than they used to be.
As far as kids changing, at the risk of sounding like an old fogey - yes, they have. They often don't listen like they used to. They often don't follow directions like they used to. They often don't understand consequences like they used to. Many parents don't want to damage their little psyches, or make them feel bad, so they get to do as they like - and kids are amoral little animals - until we teach them to be otherwise. How many kids have you seen whose parents can't control them? Now multiply that, and it's what the daycare has to deal with. Personally, I'm perpetually shocked that they don't murder the lot of them. Asking them to hold a rope is pretty reasonable.