I don’t expect her to teach them how to read and write – that is our job, and her kids range from 6 months to 4 years. You can’t run a class when the spread of kids is that much. I’m happy if they do “chop-chop” (cutting things with scissors), painting, play-dough, solving puzzles, doing jigsaws, bashing things with hammers, dancing to the Wiggles, chasing the cat, making mudcakes in the sand pit and visiting the park for an hour or two per day when the weather is good for a run around and kick of the ball.

The main thing they are getting out of it is being socialised with other kids – sitting at the table together to eat their meals, respecting other kids and their stuff and working co-operatively. They have a good routine, and can’t wait to leave the house in the morning to “go to work” as Monkey calls it.

I dread the day that Big Brother wants these carers to get a degree. That will be the end of the best childcare option that we have.

I keep the granddaughter because it’s easiest and least expensive, I get about a fifth of what it would cost in a regular child-care. The Pixie has had 2 colds and 2 little touches of flu in her 21 months. Her cousin, who was in a warehouse for a year, had a cold & flu every week, and ended up with stents in his ears to deal with ear infections.

How that can possibly be good for a young’un, I just don’t understand. I sure am glad we can all deal with it here ourselves, it is truly a gift from G-d to have her in my life every day.

I notice that there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of news about how the family daycare workers will deal with this, but I suspect that they’ll be compelled to go to Tafe or uni as well.

Not a good idea from a parenting standpoint, as my girl was in family daycare for a couple of years before school. She thrived there.

Of the two ladies she stayed with, one quit due to the red tape that just got harder and harder to deal with, and the other was struggling with the bureacratic dictators.

We’re talking about a woman being told that she has to provide a sand pit inside her rumpus room for the little tackers in case of rain (she compromised and put one of those shell things with some sand out the back which could be dragged into the garage).

We’re talking carers being told to effectively set up classrooms in their own home, and provide a learning curriculum with goals and key targets to be met.

We’re talking a woman who was told what notices and paperwork she was allowed to stick up on her wall, in her own home.

I suspect we’ll see an exodus from the ranks of family day carers and a swelling of places required for child care centres.

There’s a reason so many call them kiddy jails.

Elitism strikes again. *sigh*