Why these stories?
The stories of these three-year-olds are not intended to just complain about “child care.” There is plenty to complain about, but it is not the teachers’ or parents’ fault. It is the system that makes it almost impossible to meet the relational needs of young children in the current climate of “daycare.”
I have most certainly been one of those teachers who did not consciously and kindly usher Johnny into his child care day. I have been one of those who were too busy, too entranced (or indoctrinated) with the notion that they didn’t really need me and too overwhelmed with stress and an expectation to manage or control. So, no fingers pointed from here.
But I will shine a bright and uncompromising light on the fact that 10 three-year-olds per adult (or more likely, 20 three-year-olds with two adults) is ridiculous, unhealthy for all and demonstrates a significant (and deliberate?) ignorance of the needs of three year olds. Back in the day, we thought maybe someone thought that it was ok, and we doubted our own sense of inadequacy to the task. But now we know science validates our gut feelings and we know full well that this is not an environment that is optimal to the well-being of three-year-olds. Not in any domain of development – physical, language, cognitive, approaches to learning, much less to social and emotional well-being and development. Throw in there – temperament, creativity, psychological, cultural, or spiritual needs. These are also the costs to the teachers. Every one of them. The entire system is the product of a need for parents to be workers, not for any regard for the collateral children or teachers/caregivers.
Please do not confuse this long tirade to include the incredibly beautiful care, love, and education of young children in small reasonable groups with adults who love them and understand their needs. We have always raised our children together – but the goal was to keep our collective children safe and healthy, maybe happy? – not to see how many we can get one adult to tolerate and manage.
Teachers need to be better paid – no one appreciates that better, or for longer, than I. But that alone will neither bring teachers back to classrooms, nor will it enable them to do better for themselves and/or the children. It’s a “red herring”. I had to look it up to make sure I was using it correctly – yup: “something that distracts attention from the real issue.”
I will continue to write about these experiences – I hope they can be recognized or examined – or at least provocative- to you and that we will all emerge from the current child care system and demand that it changes.