Full-Time Day Care Causes Health and Behavior Problems in Children
The longest running day care study to date is being conducted by the NICHD. It began in April 2001 and is currently tracking 1,364 children from birth to age 12. The results have been consistent: Children who spend large amounts of time in day care exhibit more behavioral problems, such as aggression and disobedience, than children who spend less time in non-maternal care. In addition, teacher turnover among day care centers is notoriously high and results in young children losing yet more significant adults in their lives. Unaware of how to process their feelings, the pervasive sense of loss these children internalize often translates into anger and aggression. Moreover, children in day care suffer from higher rates of illness, ear infections, and – unless they’re from single-parent or low-income families -- slowed cognitive development.
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Suzanne Venker's view on anger and aggression places blame on "teacher turnover". However, she never mentions the benefits of meeting new teachers and how that enables the children to transition more easily into classes where teachers change all the time. Also, for many daycares there is more than one teacher so it is not as if all the adult figures are leaving. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "More than 80 percent of child day care services establishments employ fewer than 20 workers". Children come into contact with so many people that the absence of one or two people will not psychologically damage them.
In response to Rebecca’s comment, the issue of “teacher turnover” can most definitely be a cause of psychological issues. During the early years of a child’s life he is determining whether he can trust people or not. When teachers are constantly coming and going, the child instantly assesses his world as untrustworthy. Added to that, his mother is also coming and going, when she ought to be the most trustworthy individual in his life.
In the author’s response to “Full-Time Day Care Causes Health and Behavior Problems in Children” argument, she stated that “children in day care suffer from higher rates of illness (such as) ear infections.” I deem that daycare is not the only place children receive their infections. Children can catch viruses any where from stores to interaction with their parents. Some may argument the risk is increased at daycare. The majority of the cases of the common cold and the flu are just from connections with random friends and family the children see every day, not just a daycare. Daycare maybe a catalyst for illnesses but they are not the primary source.
"It is ultimately the home environment and a parent's way of upbringing and disciplining a child that will effect the behaviour, not the daycare or school"
If the parent is not there to care for the child then he or she is sent to a day care, where the child learns the majority of their values. It is the parents fault for dumping their child off at a childcare facility where they know their child will not learn important values. Either way, if a child has bad health or behavioral issues it is purely the parents fault.
I agree that parents are responsible for their child's upbringing. But if they can't stay home with them, then their job is to find a proper daycare that enforces the values they teach at home.
This is not an issue of work or not. All kids at one point or another have to be in multiple group situation unless they are exclusivley home schooled. They will be away from moms and bad behavior can stem at any age when in group environment because of the mere fact that there are children from all kinds of homes in daycares and schools. It is ultimately the home environment and a parent's way of upbringing and disciplining a child that will effect the behaviour, not the daycare or school. You POV in essence debars parents from any responsibility if a child exhibits bad behavior since its the daycare setting that is causing it. I have seen plenty of good, well behaved kids in pre-school and daycare and I have seen completely out of control kids with SAHM and vice versa, i cant say I have seen more in one setting or another. I havent seen any behavioral issues in my 3 year old, she has a very structured day, she learns things and is on a eat play nap eat play come home, eat play, read books go to bed schedule and she has beenin day care since she was 2 and now is in pre-school. You can have sickness in kids at home too. She was sick with ear infections and cold etc at home too even with breastfeeding and while she might have had few more EI in the beginning at the same time my frequent visit to her ped due to them helped us diagnose her Asthma and treat her and finally putting an end to EI and cough issues since she was 15 month old. Bottom line is a child's behavior is made at home, if parents are consistent in their manners and strategies daycares and school cant break good habits and just instill bad habit.