Home Hot Topics Articles Directors' Choice Awards About Us / Contact Us Activities & Curriculum Activities for Outcome-Based Learning Arts & Crafts Music for Learning Recommended Reading Sharing Boards: What Do YOU Think? NEWSlink Current National News Conference Calendar Topics In Early Childhood Education Art and Creativity in Early Childhood Education Job Sharing Board State Licensing Requirements Stay Connected! Each month we'll send you an email filled with articles and ideas for your classroom. Subscribe Now Date: 6/27/2003 3:04:00 PM Author: Daycare Provider Subject: My reason is not because of the infants ... My reason is not because of the infants being in a group (I have been working with infants for awhile now and I see so much of what you were describing), I just feel like infants need a lot of one on one interaction, expecially when they are very young, and that is very hard to do in a group. I think that as infants this one-on-one interaction is more important than social interaction with other infants. I know there are a lot of very good caregivers that do an awesome job and manage to spend quality time with the infants in their care, but I also know from my observations at several centers that a lot of caregivers meet the very basic needs of food and diapers and do not spend much time interacting with the infants. At one of my observations, there were 8 infants in swings, exersaucers, bouncy chairs and high-chairs during my entire 2 hours and the only time anyone talked to them was when they fussed, and then it was to tell them "Oh, you're fine, you just need to wait your turn". At another observation, the lead teacher very rarely talked to the infants, and smiled even less! She just walked around and silently did what was necessary. I also know that because of financial reason, there tends to be too many infants assigned to one person (or they shift them to too many people and they do not develop the attachments that are so important) and that person must spend the entire day on the routine caregiving and never get a chance to just relax and spend time with any of the infants. I also know from personal experience where I have been that a lot of centers hire caregivers with no experience or education. A lot of people think that it would be "fun" to spend the day "rocking babies", and when they find out how much "work" is involved they leave. I realize there are places that do not operate this way, but I see it a lot. That is why I do not like group care for infants. Do I have any answers to these problems? Yes, but financially no one can afford what it takes to solve these problems: more staff training, lower staff/child ratios, higher pay to prevent turnover. I realize the need for daycare and, as I said, I do not think it is damaging, but I think that caregivers and parents need to realize the disadvantages (every situation has pros and cons) and do what it takes to make sure that they spend some extra time with these infants and make sure they know what to look for in a childcare setting. Just like a parent who keeps an infant home all of the time needs to make sure they are getting them out into social situations. Name: Email: Subject

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