childcare lottery

Well, the experts tell us that "one in five (early childhood) services is not meeting quality standards," (Sunday Times 15 Dec). Goodness, that's terrible. "Australia's recent dismal literacy and numeracy results were a 'national call to action.'"

"Education is the worst-performing of all categories in child care," the experts add. Goodness. Are they really talking about *early childhood* care? What do these experts want, more pre-school calculus?

Early childhood is about learning, not about education. Learning to talk, learning to listen. Learning to interact with children and adults. Learning to play and run and sit and sleep. Learning to be ready for the next stage, of formal education.

But what really set me off on this rant is, "many childcare centres are just 'babysitting' children." Yes, that is exactly what many parents want, babysitting for their children. The parents are desperate for money or they are not interested in raising their own children. For many reasons, parents want regular babysitters.

Whatever their reasons, parents prefer good quality babysitters. They want childcare centres which will look after their children. Feed them, play with them, get them to rest, cuddle them when needed. Education? Not at an early childhood age, thanks very much.

If you can find a child care centre which offers "in loco parentis"services -- child care, forget the "education" -- then congratulations! You have won the childcare lottery.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because its trust is not in the branch, but in its own wings." … unknown
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