| Child care has become a hot button issue in | | | | research has shown that children who know |
| political arenas these days. It is wrapped up in the | | | | these things before beginning elementary school |
| concern for education, which has become one of | | | | are more likely to perform better in school. |
| the primary concerns for many voters. Parents | | | | Child care providers can actually work in |
| are worried that their children will not be well | | | | competition with other providers for business. |
| prepared to deal with the demands that | | | | Certain providers will boast particular strengths, |
| government has placed on educational systems, | | | | while others might show strengths in many areas, |
| and so are looking to preschools in order to | | | | and even have extras like gymnastics or martial |
| prepare their children for the best possible | | | | arts. |
| education. | | | | These providers, of course, come with a healthy |
| In the minds of many, child care providers are | | | | price tag. The more services a provider offers, |
| simply places where children are dropped off and | | | | the more expensive the school. Additionally, there |
| picked up at the end of the day, with no attention | | | | is typically a long waiting list for the best |
| paid to that eight hours of in between time. They | | | | providers. Some parents even go to the extent |
| are generally regarded as expensive playhouses. | | | | of getting on waiting lists even before they get |
| However, the standards of parents these days | | | | pregnant. |
| have subsequently raised the standards of child | | | | Child care is the middle of the march toward |
| care providers. Child care is often quite expensive, | | | | progression of our society. Providers are often on |
| so parents expect that they essentially receive a | | | | the cusp of technology and new developments in |
| good return on their investment. They want to | | | | understanding children. |
| know that their child is not only being cared for, | | | | The question is whether or not a child should be |
| but actually learning from the child care | | | | so continuously educated versus simply having |
| experience. | | | | their childhood for play. There is certainly merit in |
| Services offered by child care providers vary | | | | allowing a child to play. After all, they are children. |
| rather extensively. Some of the more high quality | | | | They are not born as adults, and there is some |
| providers can offer organic meals, teaching in | | | | wisdom in letting children be children. Even experts |
| foreign languages, instruction on computers, and | | | | cannot agree on which is the better course of |
| even some basic math skills. Children are | | | | action, therefore it is left to the parent to |
| expected to have a grasp of the basics like | | | | determine their child's care based on their own |
| numbers and the alphabet before they reach | | | | values and priorities. |
| elementary school. The reason for this is that | | | | |