Posted on 06/24/2004 11:36:21 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
People often ask me if, after 29 years of broadcasting I am ever surprised by anything I hear. Sadly, the answer is no … and yes. No, I am no longer surprised at the insensitivity, cruelty, selfishness, cowardice, moral vacuousness or bad judgment that people exhibit. What does surprise me, however, is how common and everyday it is all becoming, and how there is little awareness by folks that their behaviors are wrong, bad, immoral or outrageous, and that there is little outrage or negative judgment from family, friends and society in general. This is not a good development.
One of the most horrible examples of this degeneration of American culture came across my fax machine in the middle of one of my daily radio broadcasts.
"Family sues day care after son suffers burns" read the headline in The Arizona Republic, Friday, May 21, 2004. The story is gruesome. The parents filed a lawsuit against an expensive, elite day-care company after their almost 1-year-old son suffered severe burns last June when he was left alone outside on a dark, playground surface.
Evidently, this baby was left outside for about five minutes before a day-care worker remembered he was outside. According to the complaint, this little boy's hands and knees were so severely burned that the skin was dripping off.
The little boy has recovered … from his burns. Do you want to know where he is today? In another day-care. Can you believe this? Honestly, I can't believe any human parent would do anything other than cling tightly to their child after a horrible incident like this. I can't believe any human parent could stand their child being in the care of anyone but themselves after this magnitude of a wake-up call.
After my on-air rant-and-rave about the parents' behavior, I received many responses. Here are just two typical letters:
"I just heard your report on the child at the day-care center that had his knees and hands burned due to the carelessness of the day-care workers who left him out on the hot asphalt. To me, the fault lies ultimately with the parents of this child for putting him into a situation like this in the first place. Placing him in day care in the first place is a KNOWING and WILLING act to put that child in the hands of people who do not have the VESTED INTEREST in the child's safety, growth and health.
"When it all comes down to it, the most important part of it all is that my daughter is learning that family is more important than career or income. I am sure that when she grows up she will carry the FAMILY VALUES we are instilling in her when she has children of her own." (Jared Mark, Omaha, Neb.)
The next is from Sarah, who is an infant caregiver in an Orange County, Calif., day-care center:
"Every day I get out of bed half dreading the day and half craving it. Dreading it because of the so-called 'liberal-minded' parents who say they are doing the best thing 'socially' for their children by placing them in institutionalized care at the tender age of 6 weeks through 5 years. I'm tired of being reminded by my superiors that we are on a 'team' with these parents, merely 'assisting' them in the growth and development of their children. I feel that I am raising their children for and instead of them. I spend more time with their children than they do!
"I crave going to work because I love those babies. I love taking care of them. I love being the loving positive influence in their young worlds. But it crushes me to know that they aren't getting what they truly need – their mothers. I want the best for them, and there is nothing better than a mommy."
For me, it is one of the unfathomable and great horrors that so many women think that:
I recommend two books for your attention:
When taxes were low in the 50s, it wasn't necessary for the mother to work. Now that government spending in out of control and taxes are much higher, it is. That's why we have children without parents. Of course the crime rate is higher for these children, so government gets a double windfall, with jobs for police and prison workers.
Funny - when I saw the article on WND, it didn't have the "Dr. Laura slams parents who farm children out to day care" on thier version...
Bingo.
I must be the only one, but I stayed at home most of the time, I worked when my husband was unemployed, to raise my own children. Everyone tried to lay guilt trips on me that the kids need day care. Even to the point I was abusing my kids not to put them in day care. I took care of a few children of close friends between when they got out of school and parents got off work. Now my kids are older, and I'm training for a profession. I have a college degree, but don't want to teach. I am ready to start working part time and ease myself back out there. I am finding it difficult to land a job.
That it is...
I saw a link to the article elsewhere, and the page for the article itself does not have it - wondered if you were editorializing in the headline or something.
Sorry...
No apologies necessary, amigo.
I worked for many years paying my way through college, babysitting, and cleaning houses. Then working for a savings and loan as a purchasing agent. I would never change what I did for my kids. The kids I cared for still keep in touch with me. Now is my time. My kids are still in high school, I want to get licensed in Real Estate, earn Notary certification, and a few other things that will aid in getting me a decent wage.
The thing is, that my kids turned out good. Both are honor roll students, and have high goals set for upper education. I admire them both.
What would you call sufficient income to support a three person family?
Not always check this out.
ANAHEIM — Social workers took custody of a woman's five children on Sunday after she left her 10-month-old son asleep in a locked SUV. Police were called to the 99 Cents Only store at 2270 E. Lincoln Ave. about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Someone had reported seeing a sleeping child in the Mitsubishi Montero parked outside, while the mother and her four other children, ages 3-6, were shopping, said Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez. The SUV's sunroof had been left open about 6-8 inches, Martinez said. According to surveillance tape, the child had been alone in the SUV for about 20 minutes when a store employee noticed and was able to get the youngster out through the sunroof, Martinez said. The child, crying, sweating and hot to the touch, was brought to the store office, where police and paramedics were summoned, Martinez said. After shopping for about 45 minutes, the mother -- whose name was withheld -- and her other children returned to the vehicle, but the baby had been taken inside by then, the sergeant said. The woman locked the other four children in the SUV, then went back into the store to look for her youngest child, Martinez said. Social workers were called and a decision was made, with a supervising officer at the scene, to issue a misdemeanor citation to the mother and to remove the children from her custody temporarily, Martinez said.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1159070/posts
Just remember, nobody ever looks back at life and wishes that more time had been spent at work.
I am struck, however, at how often these articles fail to mention the role of a father. My husband is 110% supportive of my being home... many of my friends are not so fortunate. My husband very modestly downplays his role in the decision, but I keep trying to tell him that in today's climate, it is difficult (I think) for a woman to simply stop working if her husband objects or disapproves. I know a couple of my friends who would quit in a minute if their spouse supported it. Of course, that requires sacrifice by a spouse, too.... my friends' husbands have a lot more disposable income for "fun" stuff.
ping!
I lost my wife two and a half years ago and I am rearing my little girl by myself. I have no grandparent help, no other family help, and my profession demands a lot of my time. What does Laura say about my situation? It is just me and my little one.
The parents of Lyle and Erik Menendez wished they had stayed at work!
Who gives a rat’s ass what that women says. Usually people with money (such as Dr. Doolittle) put down women that have to work or contribute to the family income. I'm sorry for your situation.
Well she has some valid points here.
However, Laura Schlesinger is a hypocrite, she is rude and I will not take her on as a conservative guru because she is just a money grubber who will say anything for her radio show popularity.
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