Parents: Yes Daycare: No

When did the State of Iowa decide that young children are better off in daycare centers than being raised at home by their own mothers? Few in positions of authority are informing young moms that this is not the best option for them or for their youngsters.

In the absence of abuse or other extraordinary circumstances, children fare better in their own family setting. First, when children are not provided with the consistency of family bonds in early childhood-- commitment, attachment, security, stability-- these children do not receive the preparation or experience necessary to know how to form such relationships in later life. In addition, as socialization begins at home, for growing children there is a significant difference between sharing family space and possessions and sharing "community" space and possessions in a daycare setting.

The trend of "everyone but Mom and Dad" rearing youngsters is a strong contributing factor in the epidemic of child abuse. In general, when it is considered acceptable for young moms to live with a string of "partners" rather than opting for marriage, the likelihood of abuse and neglect rise, both from the biological parent who has little time and focus for her child, and the less committed bond a non-parent has with a child the more likely abuse and neglect will occur. At its worst, consistent non-parent caregiving causes youngsters to be more vulnerable to abduction-- children whose primary caregiver is his Parent has an almost instinctive distrust of strangers, and is far less likely to "go willingly" with someone whom he does not know. whereas children who are accustomed to being shuffled around from one caregiver to another automatically trusts everyone.

When a mother spends so little time with her infant that she is not tuned in to the child's needs, the current response is to silence the child by stuffing a pacifier in his mouth. Not having his needs met is psychologically damaging to an infant, and also has physical repercussions from constantly sucking in air and saliva.

In the post-infancy stage, when children are given the message that money and possessions are more important than they are, this sets the stage for a negative outlook and lack of priorities in their own later lives. Small children in daycares and preschools increase the rates of illnesses, for many are sent to the centers even when contagious health conditions are apparent; this also gives a child the message that his parent does not even care enough about him to look after him when he is sick.

In entering their school years, youngsters who don't have someone to go home to after school are more likely to get into trouble, and more likely to become victimized.

Parents who shirk their responsibility of teaching their youngsters everything from basic life-skills such as cooking and cleaning up after oneself, to values which should be instilled in the home, not only leave children unprepared for life, but also increases the burden on schoolteachers, whose "job" centers more and more on childrearing than education. Iowa's much-heralded "Character Counts" program is missing its mark-- "Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship" are fine standards which belong in the realm of Parenting, not on middle-school teachers.

In short, too many of Iowa's youngsters are being "raised" by their teachers, their peers, and eventually themselves-- and from whichever angle one views this trend, it is not in the best interest of the children.