Angry Rant #4

I have been recently tuning in to quite a lot of talk radio. The local talk radio brings my two programs: Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura Schlessinger.

I have been enjoying both, not because I agree with them, but just because of their point of view. HOWEVER...yesterday on Dr Laura's program, she began soapboxing on the topic of child neglect...but first, some background.

Dr Laura is a psychologist, psychiatrist, psychoanyalist, or psycho - something, I'm not whole heartedly sure which. One of her biggest stances comes in child advocacy...helping abused children, or children in general. She delivers a no-nonsense, unforgiving, no holds barred response to callers on more than just child related topics, too. But overall, she is presice, to the point, and very non-wavering. It seems to me, she has her mind made up on the topics, and her opinion is repeated to all subsequent callers on said topics.

Here we go...yesterday, an article was brought up about child neglect dealing with, of all things, Day Care systems. In the article, the author spoke on how to brace yourself and overcome the seperation anxiety for both the parent and the child who is going into a day care situation.

Dr Laura attacked, saying that any parent who would leave their child at a Day Care, a Nanny, a Baby-Sitter, etc was...

1. Neglectful of their children
2. Conceited
3. Selfish

Basically, she said that any parent who would leave their children in anyone else's care other than the mother or the father wasn't fit to be a parent. They also, she claimed, shouldn't have a child because obviously if they can't make the time to be with their children, to raise their children, and to nuture their children, then they probably...nay they DEFINATLY are unfit.

What kind of BS is this? Should kids have a stay at home parent? Probably. Does it make a parent unfit if they have no choice but to work and make a living for those children? Absolutely NOT! I have no children, but I know enough people who do. I also know that in the current economy it is hard to live on one income.

What her statements say to me are one of the following:

1. Women should stay home and raise their families, they shouldn't work, they shouldn't strive to make a living for their families, they should stay home, period. (I say women, because she said it was important for the "mother-child bond"...maybe father-child bond is less important, I don't know.)

This is a huge blow to any kind of Women's Liberation. It's no wonder women are fighting for equal work-equal pay!! It's because of people like Dr Laura who want women to be workers or mothers, but never both!

2. Men should work harder to educate themselves, find a high paying job, and support the family...because there will be one income.

3. If, God forbid, an accident occurs, forget working...the man should now get two jobs, three if necessary so their will be no Day Care. (no, Dr Laura does not support abortion, she doesn't support single parenting, she doesn't support re-marrying if you have children, and she doesn't support...no lie...sex. She thinks abstinence is the way to go, unless, apparently, you can support your child on one income.)

People make mistakes in life. Everyone does. Sometimes a child is born to a good relationship, and that relationship grows sour...thus leaving the single parent to work.

Sometimes, two loving parents cannot survive on one paycheck alone...no matter how much you cut back.

Sometimes, all the education in the world isn't enough to find, land, or keep an income worthy of one paycheck.

All reasons Day Care is NOT child neglect, but rather the reality for some people. We aren't all rich, we aren't all Harvard educated...but that doesn't make us neglectful.