“Daycare worker accused of breaking little boy’s leg.”
“Daycare under investigation after 4-year-old killed in parking lot accident.”
“Daycare under investigation in light of claims that children were mistreated.”
“Woman Gets Prison in Child Neglect, Unlicensed Daycare Case.”
“Infant Bitten 27 Times, Daycare Shut Down.”
“Mom Says Daycare Worker Slapped Her Child.”
Yes, these are real headlines from the past two months at various places across the US. Categorize these under “Things that make me cringe” for obvious reasons. But along with the headlines are some comments that I can’t quite stomach. “This is why I’ll never send my kids to daycare” or “I’m so blessed to stay home so I don’t have to worry about things like this.”
As a working mom, it’s not my initial reaction to comment on a news story about a mother going postal on her children with “And folks, that’s why I don’t stay home with my children!” or “This might not have happened if she could have afforded to send her children to daycare.” That would be inappropriate, right?
Right. So let’s take a moment to stop the daycare defamation. Comments like these? Unnecessary.
Are all daycare facilities created equal? Certainly not, but there are some truly amazing child care providers out there that leave a lasting impression on our children. My daughter just told one of her teachers the other day that she loves her, and that’s a remarkable thing. But you hear about these instances far less often than the rest of the terrible headlines.
So those of you who have excellent childcare experiences, share them more often. Let’s combat these tragedies with reasons to celebrate our daycares, nannies, and baby sitters. And those of you who feel the need to make parents feel even worse about an already difficult choice, reconsider. In the wise words of Thumper, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it all.” Or lend a word of encouragement to a parent who may have just experienced something terrible or tragic.
And if you’re in the market for a daycare or childcare, do your research. Ask if you can spend sometime observing kids in a facility, read reviews on Google, Yelp, talk to other parents picking up or dropping off, and most importantly, feel comfortable about the decision you are making.
