Daycare for wee folks

I was chatting recently with someone about the daycare dilemma in the U.S. Not too long ago several closed in the Fargo-Moorhead area and a general screech and lamenting sigh was heard from those who think kids are better off in daycare.

It's is very hard for me to imagine that anyone could even think that their little ones would be better off cared for by a generally poorly paid stranger and a stranger whom often has many other little ones in her care at the same time. How could we have gotten to the place in America where the past two, maybe even three, generations of women have been duped into thinking that this is okay.

Research has been done on this subject. The real findings, if one can wade through all the 'thinkspeak' are that daycare produces insecure, often sickly, and sometimes really mean children. Well, think about it: if your little one from the time of infancy is placed with folks, no matter how well meaning, who must oversee 10 others or maybe 20 others, how much care will your little one get? And that's not the worst of it, even if you discount the diseases found in such places and the aggressive natures developed (let's face it-there is a pecking order!) what about the fact that a whole culture could think a paid provider is better than mom?

That's really screwy thinking. Strangers better than mom? Institutionalization better than a loving home? Factory-prepared meals fed and eaten in shifts, and in a hurry? Even a PB & J with mom is superior in every way to a government licensed food program.

The other interesting thing found in research is that though some may think this prepares them to be learners, it doesn't appear to be so. In fact, it prepares them to be institutionalized from K-12 and it teaches them to keep their place in the pecking order.

One other thing that really bugs me: since corporeal punishment of any kind is no longer allowed, how do they keep the little ones in line? Shame and humiliation. It works, but it is an awful thing to do to a child. How much better that a loving parent (and I mean LOVING...someone willing to lay down their very life for this wee one!) holds, teaches, feeds, encourages, comforts and cares for the child.

Yah, we've come a long way, baby, but it hasn't been a good way.

Apples galore!

We have been blessed this fall with an abundance of apples given to us by a family with two luscious apple trees. So grandma has been busy making applesauce and we now have almost 100 jars sitting on the basement pantry shelves.

How in the world did gals do this before there were apple peeler/corers?

Bill and I finished the last of the saucing on Saturday.

We are blessed, we are blessed, we are blessed!