In our review by the most controversial parenting practices, it is the turn of the nursery or nursery school, an option, a "liberation", a necessity in many cases ... There are so many prisms to understand the role of nurseries that we would miss in ten articles like this to explain them.
But let's try to understand why this controversy exists when talking about nurseries. The nurseries are places that emerged as a place to "keep" children when the mother and father worked but today offers much more than that function and in their eagerness to attend to the child teaching him, to learn, they are called "Nursery schools".
I am sure that the nursery schools of today are much better than those nurseries that worked when we were little, that "accumulated" children in places not very adapted and with a caregiver who did not supply. And so I do not believe that all children are wrong with them, at least once the anguish they experience during the adaptation period has been overcome.
The nursery, option or need?
But for many parents that anguish that we talked about and that most children will feel the first few days, it is enough not to consider leaving them in nursery school. Sure, this is so, because they find other options. I speak in the third person, but this perfectly describes what has happened in my family, which we are pulling from unpaid leave, half days and family help to take care of the two little ones.
But for many, leaving children in nursery school is not an option but a necessity, although others see that need as a social imposition and there are also those who understand that daycare is a relief, a rest or a place where the child She will learn and socialize more than if she were not in it.
Those who see in the nursery another slavery to which our current society submits us, do not understand that for many women it is precisely the result of a liberation and the possible incorporation of women into the labor market, an unquestionable achievement that has cost centuries, although the road To achieve this, it may not always seem the best.
Why is the labor market not organized in another way? We have already talked on occasions that work and family conciliation does not have to be based on childcare, there are other options that could be enhanced. Daycare centers would be an option, such as greater flexibility in business hours, the teleworking empowerment…
The nursery is not good or bad for all children the same
When we made a summary of the risks and benefits of going to daycare, we were saying that there is much to say and much to conclude on an issue that is difficult to study with objective and controllable data.
However, it is known that it exists an increased risk of certain infectious diseases at an early age in children who go to nursery school. And also that if the nursery schools are of quality they boost the social and academic abilities of the children before they begin their school stage (although it is not known if this would happen with the same stimuli at home).
If the nursery puts all its efforts into minimizing the possible risks (although other sectors of society, companies, administrations ...) have to be involved and enhance the quality of its service, the better a child will be in it.
Some alternatives that would reduce the risks of childcare assistance In terms of health they would be the decrease in hours of assistance (such as the measures we have pointed out above on work-life balance and families), fewer children per center or class, the complete training of educators, extreme Hygiene measures in the nursery ...
Of course, all of this entails a strong investment and involvement of administrations, which is difficult without a demand and without a social awareness about the importance of these issues.
Each family is a world, and entering to debate whether the other's reasons are valid or not, can be bold. Nor can it be stated categorically that going to daycare is good or that it is bad. Because it will be better or worse according to children, families and nurseries.
- Before pointing out that taking children to daycare is bad, we should stop to think about the few evidences we have analyzed in previous posts, and we must take into account if the family has alternative care systems, because for some children, The nursery is the best.
- Similarly, before pointing out that a child is going to be in love, is not going to socialize or is missing a whole world of possibilities in school, one would have to think that for the little ones to be with their family, with the people around them , is the most natural, and yes it is expanding its circle of affections and relationships, as well as learning new things every day.
The controversy occurs because on many occasions we do not know (do not want) to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, understand their reasons, and as always in matters of parenting we consider that we are doing the best we can, also in the case that our children go (or not) to the nursery.
The ten most controversial parenting practices
Photos | Pink Sherbet Photography, A.M.Garrido on Flickr
In Babies and more | When should socialization begin in children ?, At daycare or at home ?, Risks and benefits of going to daycare (I), (II) and (III), Should we go to daycare to prepare for the school?
