#12 Postby Miss Mary » Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:16 am
Holly - I could get on that soapbox with you. This topic could morph into one specific direction b/c here is what I think of when I ask myself, what is wrong with kids today - too many 2 parents working families. I'm not saying one has to stay home all the time. But couldn't the 2 parents juggle their schedules so they can spend the most time with their children? And not put them into before and after school day-care options at school? I remember seeing children dropped off @ 6:45 when Elem. School doesn't begin until 9:10. Then they remain after school, until the last possible minute, 6 p.m. Parent show up in sweats or work out clothes, not business attire. You know they stopped off at the Gym instead of coming to get their kids right after work. That used to burn me up. I also would see the day-care directors standing outside, long past 6, going on 6:30, holding the hand of one child, and both would be watching all the cars entering the parking lot, hoping the next car would be the parent. This school is busy with Football and Cheerleading practices so there would be a stream of cars coming. As the child would realize, no that car is not my mommy, it would break my heart. Yes my daughters went to this school, so any given week I was over there a lot, for ballet lessons they took or girl scout meetings. Times I didn't always leave the facility, I'd bring the paper to read. I saw a lot going on and I'm sorry to say, but these parents who prolonged their child's day-cares times seemed selfish to me.
If this was just a few instances I saw, multiply that by hundreds across the country.
My next door neighbor has worked 3 weekdays, with 2 off for years. When her daughter was in Elem. she used this after school day-care option. Did she allow her daughter to come home from school on her 2 weekdays off - NO! She made her stay at school, so she, the mom, could get her housework done, or errands run. That just about broke my heart. Truly it did. She also walked over for her at 5:55, right before it was supposed to end at 6.
These are cases of working parents that take it too far.
On the flip side I know of many who work the minimum they need to and hurry to get their kids from sitters or after school programs. And spend quality time with their children before they go to bed that evening. These parents are exempt from the above group, IMHO.
Across the board, it seems to me that there are some working parents who do not put their kids first. That is sad to me. I'm not suggesting they not work, but please spend quality time with their kids when off work.
Off MY soapbox now. Sigh.....
Mary
0 likes
