DC now requiring day care workers to have college degrees

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the college requirement is great, but I also think mothers should consider taking six months to a year off from work at a minimum to be home with their baby rather than put them in day care. The longer kids stay at home, the better. We need to value caregiving as much as we value working outside the home. Making a college degree a requirement is a step in the right direction.

What about fathers?

And why the first 6 months? At 6 months, my baby needed a stable caregiver, not necessarily his mother. It was sure hard on ME to go back to work (got that sucked) but he was fine. Now at almost 5 he knows and needs me much more than he did when he was 6. And yet, I am now mandated by the government to send him to school 6 hrs/day ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the college requirement is great, but I also think mothers should consider taking six months to a year off from work at a minimum to be home with their baby rather than put them in day care. The longer kids stay at home, the better. We need to value caregiving as much as we value working outside the home. Making a college degree a requirement is a step in the right direction.

+1, absolutely. Totally worthwhile.

All I keep reading in this is "it'll cost too much, it'll cost too much".... criminy, what are your children worth, then?

I disagree. The reason most people oppose this is because a college degree simply isn't necessary or maybe even worthwhile for a childcare provider to perform their job. Infants don't even talk. Why is a college degree now necessary to feed, soothe and play with an infant? I really don't see how having a college degree with improve the care your children receive. I'd rather the government make the law stricter around number of infants per childcare provider.

They aren't just soothing and feeding. With kids spending 40-50+ hours a week with child care providers, those individuals are playing key roles (and in some case the primary role) in that child's social, emotional, cognitive, behavioral and moral growth and development. With each interaction and response, they are shaping this child's development. I think it should be essential that they do have an informed understanding of child development since that is a key aspect of their job responsibilities. A degree also means there has been research, critical thinking, analysis - all important to being able to making decisions in the moment that are critical to what a child is learning about themselves, others and the world around them.

LOL!! My favorite babysitter/teacher ever is a high school dropout. She does not need "research" to tell her how to take care of kids. She is innately gifted. My son loves her so much that I have even considered naming her as his guardian should something happen to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the college requirement is great, but I also think mothers should consider taking six months to a year off from work at a minimum to be home with their baby rather than put them in day care. The longer kids stay at home, the better. We need to value caregiving as much as we value working outside the home. Making a college degree a requirement is a step in the right direction.

+1, absolutely. Totally worthwhile.

All I keep reading in this is "it'll cost too much, it'll cost too much".... criminy, what are your children worth, then?

I disagree. The reason most people oppose this is because a college degree simply isn't necessary or maybe even worthwhile for a childcare provider to perform their job. Infants don't even talk. Why is a college degree now necessary to feed, soothe and play with an infant? I really don't see how having a college degree with improve the care your children receive. I'd rather the government make the law stricter around number of infants per childcare provider.

What exactly do you believe IS necessary for providing excellent childcare of babies and young children?

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the college requirement is great, but I also think mothers should consider taking six months to a year off from work at a minimum to be home with their baby rather than put them in day care. The longer kids stay at home, the better. We need to value caregiving as much as we value working outside the home. Making a college degree a requirement is a step in the right direction.

+1, absolutely. Totally worthwhile.

All I keep reading in this is "it'll cost too much, it'll cost too much".... criminy, what are your children worth, then?

I disagree. The reason most people oppose this is because a college degree simply isn't necessary or maybe even worthwhile for a childcare provider to perform their job. Infants don't even talk. Why is a college degree now necessary to feed, soothe and play with an infant? I really don't see how having a college degree with improve the care your children receive. I'd rather the government make the law stricter around number of infants per childcare provider.

What exactly do you believe IS necessary for providing excellent childcare of babies and young children?

Anyone?

Patience, likes kids, rapport with kids, communicates well with parents, familiar with basic safety requirements, small ratio, adequate pay and good working environment. Are you really trying to argue you need a school credential for any of this? I'm not against some basic training/continuing education (or even a requirement that centers of certain size have SOME staff with credentials.) But otherwise, it's ludicrous to think that you'd learn to take care of a baby from a book. I didn't!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd rather a uniform standard of licensure, similar to what people obtain to become a paramedic, or a cosmetologist. Child care workers should have to meet some minimum standard as determined by the state, in the interest of public health and safety.
A 4 year degree is ridiculous.
Cosmetologists require somewhere between 1000-2500 hours of study. That's over kill.
Surely we can come up with the needed skills and information within 25-100 hrs of training.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd rather a uniform standard of licensure, similar to what people obtain to become a paramedic, or a cosmetologist. Child care workers should have to meet some minimum standard as determined by the state, in the interest of public health and safety.
A 4 year degree is ridiculous.
Cosmetologists require somewhere between 1000-2500 hours of study. That's over kill.
Surely we can come up with the needed skills and information within 25-100 hrs of training.

This

Yes, and the training should be provided for free and ideally in an on-the-job context. This could double for DC (or nonprofits) setting up new daycares that double as training centers.

[Anonymous]

Interesting book discussion now on C-SPAN2 BOOKTV relating to our topic:

"Bottleneckers: Gaming the Government for Power and Private Profit" by William Mellor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd rather a uniform standard of licensure, similar to what people obtain to become a paramedic, or a cosmetologist. Child care workers should have to meet some minimum standard as determined by the state, in the interest of public health and safety.
A 4 year degree is ridiculous.
Cosmetologists require somewhere between 1000-2500 hours of study. That's over kill.
Surely we can come up with the needed skills and information within 25-100 hrs of training.

This

It's called the CDA and was the sole required qualification until the introduction of formal educational standards.

[Anonymous]

What exactly does D.C. hope to accomplish with this new requirement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What exactly does D.C. hope to accomplish with this new requirement?

To make kids safer and better cared-for?

Seems pretty obvious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having a person trained in child development or education is a bad idea? I don't follow you. What standard is "good enough" for your kids then?

Because I'd hate to see this city have a system like VA where any illiterate redneck trailer trash can have an unlicensed operation with up to half a dozen kids.

If people are better qualified, then it will cost more, yes. I'd call that worthwhile. I'm sure there are other expenses in your household budget that you could re-evaluate and decide if it might be worth eliminating some things to put that money towards better care for your children.

Seems like a no brainer to me. I'd want the most qualified person there was watching my kids. I work from home, and we have a nanny, too, but I can't see how this would upset people. I don't get it.

And next we'll require new mothers to have a college degree before having a child.

My child was in an in-home daycare in Arlington. The provider was a 55 year old Bangladeshi grandmother who runs a very successful business. As a parent, I decided that she was qualified based on research and references. She had the requisite training in CPR and first aid. My child thrived under her care, so you may want to check your many assumptions.

And yet SAHM are told that they don't deserve a college education. You guys are hilarouus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What exactly does D.C. hope to accomplish with this new requirement?

To make kids safer and better cared-for?

Seems pretty obvious

How will you determine success/failure if you aren't specific?

[Anonymous]

I don't see how you could use a success/failure metric in this scenario?

So why not just make it the requirement and be done with it, knowing you'll have qualified people doing it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how you could use a success/failure metric in this scenario?

So why not just make it the requirement and be done with it, knowing you'll have qualified people doing it?

Since when does a college degree assure you qualified people to take good care of your children? Don't be so naive. Remember what little children need more than anything... yes, competence, stability, and love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having a person trained in child development or education is a bad idea? I don't follow you. What standard is "good enough" for your kids then?

Because I'd hate to see this city have a system like VA where any illiterate redneck trailer trash can have an unlicensed operation with up to half a dozen kids.

If people are better qualified, then it will cost more, yes. I'd call that worthwhile. I'm sure there are other expenses in your household budget that you could re-evaluate and decide if it might be worth eliminating some things to put that money towards better care for your children.

Seems like a no brainer to me. I'd want the most qualified person there was watching my kids. I work from home, and we have a nanny, too, but I can't see how this would upset people. I don't get it.

And next we'll require new mothers to have a college degree before having a child.

My child was in an in-home daycare in Arlington. The provider was a 55 year old Bangladeshi grandmother who runs a very successful business. As a parent, I decided that she was qualified based on research and references. She had the requisite training in CPR and first aid. My child thrived under her care, so you may want to check your many assumptions.

And yet SAHM are told that they don't deserve a college education. You guys are hilarouus.

No, just that they are wasting it.