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[quote=Anonymous]I agree with OP.....sort of. For most of human history, we lived in close-knit tribes where children played with multiple other children (and adults) all day, every day. The nuclear family is a very recent - and a Western - concept, designed to increase productivity from workers. Before the agricultural and industrial revolutions, hunter gatherers “worked” (search for food) only 3-4 hours a day. The rest of the time was engaged in rest, hobbies, and social interactions. Bottom line is we’re primates, and most primates live in larger social groups.

Multiple studies have shown that social interaction is the #1 predictor of health and happiness. My grandmother grew up in the isolated, “little house on the prairie” nuclear family. She had extreme anxiety and depression her entire life. Sure, she survived, but we owe our children so much more than just survival.

The problem is that parents already have so many burdens on them because we live in a system designed to extract all of our energy for profit. Between work, the second shift at home, and our other obligations, there’s not energy or time left for socializing.

Telling parents they need to fit in socialization (beyond an hour at the park- it’s not enough) in their already packed schedules doesn’t work. There needs to be childcare and opportunities for children available at no cost, plus the entire work system needs to be overhauled to not be exploitative and to allow for work-life balance. (Which is why it boggles my mind that the most pro-life people I know are also the ones who are most against providing support for families - but that’s another discussion).

We also need to give grace to those who fall short, because we are all operating in a broken, unjust system. Bickering over who’s the better parent doesn’t help us reach our goal of providing a better life for our children. [/quote]

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