Who's rocking the cradle?

If it's true that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, then according to this report , the world is ruled by a an army of tired, unhappy, overworked, and underpaid daycare workers, who have one of the largest turnover rates of any occupation in the U.S.

No wonder we're in such dire straits!

What's even sadder, is that the bulk of daycare jobs are held by women ages 25-34, women of childbearing years. In other words, someone else cares for their kids so they can go and care for someone else's kids.

For years women have outsourced things like ironing, laundry, housecleaning, cooking, but I just have to pose this question: Is it possible to outsource mothering? Can a hireling be a mother? Only a mother can smile at her baby and sing "I love you a bushel and a peck" while she's changing a dirty diaper. (You don't even want to know how much I would charge you to change YOUR baby's dirty diaper, song not included!)

In defense of well-meaning daycare workers, I will say this. I grew up in a home daycare that my mother ran. We loved those children, and took good care of them. But I made a decision as a teenager. Moms would bring sleepy babies to our house beginning at 6:30 a.m., and I would have a lap piled full of them as the morning continued. They just wanted to be held and loved, and to sleep. I taught them how to behave, how to talk & walk, and even potty trained them. They loved me dearly, as I did them. Oftentimes when Mom would come, they would want to stay with us. As much as I loved them, I knew that one day, when I became a mother, I would never allow someone else to have that much influence over my own children. I didn't even know about homeschooling then, but I knew instinctively, that I would be the only mother my children would ever know, as long as I have breath in my body.

Ever since that first little golden-haired baby boy was placed in my arms, I have never once questioned my career or education choices. I have never once been intimidated by career women who looked down on me. I have never once looked over life's pasture and wondered if the grass was greener on the other side. I am fulfilled.

Thanks be to Jesus, my Savior. And thanks to my husband, who has never once considered sending me away from our children.