Kids today

When My kids were little we lived in a housing development with 2.5 kids per house...At least that's what the statistics said. With that many kids in the neighborhood there was always some kid here or my kids were at some other neighbors house.  We didn't have a need to "socialize" the kids.  If they weren't at a house on the street then they were in the street playing some kind of group game.

When my grand kids were born I didn't think how different today's world was going to be.  I honestly didn't give it much thought at all.  My granddaughter was born and all of a sudden things changed. My daughter had a full time job, I had a full time job so the baby was going to have to be cared for by someone other than a family member.  My heart went into my throat at that thought.  I don't know why it never occurred to me  before that, but it didn't. 

My daughter and son-in-law interviewed daycare centers. They wanted to be sure the center would provide the best environment for their new baby. They wanted a school and not just a baby sitting service.  I thought they were nuts, the kid was only 6 weeks old. She didn't know how to be a kid yet, why did she need a school?  But I kept my comments and thoughts to myself...

The fateful day came when baby Kelly had to go to the Daycare center.  I was working down the street.  I decided to check it out that day and several days after, making sure she was being cared for in the way I thought she should be.  The teachers were wonderful.  The one who mainly cared for Kelly was a loving and caring woman who had experience with babies and children that far surpassed my experience.  I felt my fears fall away...

Kelly was in the Daycare from the time she was 6 weeks old and is still apart of their system as one of the after school kids, who comes to the "Clubhouse" after school and does her homework and plays with the friends she's had since babyhood.  She's never known anything else so she's very well adjusted.  Her brother Keith is as well. 

Keith started with daycare when he was 10 weeks old.  They didn't have room for him at the center when he was 6 wks old so I took him to work with  me for those 4 weeks.  That was interesting. He had a special swing and he slept most of the time. If my clients thought it was strange, they hid it well by cooing and playing with Keith while I helped them with their problems.

Both of my older grand kids have adjusted well to the Daycare.  They have many friends and seemed to have had a great time in the center. They love their teachers and know they must follow rules. It's been a very positive influence in their young lives.

My youngest grandson is 2, almost 3.   He has been cared for by his grandparents both sides.  I have had him once a week while his other grandmother has cared for him the other 4 days a week.  I am still working so I have to juggle the schedule at times, and we travel at times so things have to be juggled for that as well.  

I thought it was a great thing to have the grandparents care for the kid and I felt as though I had done the first two a disservice by not caring full time for them, however I'm not so sure about that anymore.

My youngest grandson is timid around other kids he doesn't know.  He hasn't had the socialization the other two have had and I think it's going to be a bit more dicey for him when he does go to daycare or if his parents wait for him to go the school. Luckily he's going to Sunday School so he is being exposed to other kids but generally he's by himself or with old folks.

He will be starting daycare very soon and I think it will be a little bit different for him at first and he's not going to like it, but comparing the kids and their adaptability, I think daycare is a good thing.  Would I have said that 10 years ago when I didn't have grandkids?  Not a chance...I thought daycare was the worst thing parents could do for thier kids, but I've turned my opinion completely around on that after the exeriences I've witnessed with my own grandchildren.   

With two parents working for what ever the reason, daycare is necessary. I used to say a necessary evil, but that's not the right thing to say.  Daycare has proven itself to be a stepping stone into the culture we live in today.