I am a licensed professional counselor, whose private practice office shares a thin wall with the two-year-old's room in a daycare. I hear toddlers cry continuously, especially when parents are dropping off the child and they lie, saying they'll be "
right back." If one child cries, the others do too. There are about 8 children in that room at any one time.
People say that the child stops crying after the parent leaves. Boy, is that incorrect! The point is that people are putting their children in places where there is almost no peace. The daycare workers do not use soothing voices or go to them and pick them up to provide security. I've called the daycare owner about this, and she says she appreciates knowing what's happening since her office is at the other end of the facility. I am not naïve in thinking children need to be quiet and not cry, but I know that the adults in a child's life are responsible for teaching them how to modulate their emotions. These kids are not having their days filled with knowing they matter and that they are loved. This creates little humans who struggle emotionally, don't trust, question humanity, are selfish for extra attention and more.
Usually, I use a sound barrier in my office, but sometimes I allow a patient who is a parent and sends their child to a daycare to hear the crying. When I do pre-marital counseling, I let the soon-to-be-married hear the crying as I inquire about their thoughts on having children and what their care may look like. I even give your book "
The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands" to many of them. Thank you for all your wisdom. I know that I am not one of those weak-willed counselors. I shoot straight with genuine care and regard.
Muriel
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