In an effort to expand the number of infants and children who are placed in professional day-care centers, the State of Alaska has announced that it will spend an additional $5.9 million to publicly underwrite child-care providers around the state.
In following recommendations by the Governor’s Task Force on Child Care, the state is hoping the investment will help address Alaska’s workforce shortage by freeing parents from the responsibility of caring for their children during the workday.
“Alaska’s childcare providers are essential partners in supporting Alaska’s workforce and keeping families and communities strong,” claimed Department of Health Commissioner Heidi Hedberg. “This new funding incentivizes care for infants and toddlers and helps providers deliver the high-quality services families rely on every day. We are committed to continuing the implementation of the recommendations from the task force and build a child care system that works for every region of Alaska.”
The added funding will increase the amount of money the state gives day-care centers for each child they enroll, with a special emphasis on the very youngest.
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“To expand access to infant and toddler care, the state is launching a new pilot program that provides additional monthly funding to providers who care for Alaska’s youngest children,” a Feb. 6 announcement from the state notes, adding that “participating providers will receive supplemental payments on top of their regular grant amount, helping offset the higher cost of caring for infants and toddlers.”
The grants permit child-care centers to spend the money on operational costs, staff wages and maintaining “healthy learning environments for children.”
Families who have no interest in professional daycare workers overseeing the welfare of their children will see zero benefits from the expanded childcare funding, and yet they share in the public cost of incentivizing parents to deposit their children into the hands of paid caretakers.
While many governments have adopted similar policy positions, a number of studies indicate that children, especially the very young, experience difficulties associated with extended daycare. These challenges include attachment disorders, aggression, emotional distress, obesity and suppressed immune systems.
7 Comments
Here’s a thought. Pay men enough that their wives can stay home and raise happy, healthy babies. The fewer women of childbearing age in the workforce, the more the men bring home. When did we decide to sacrifice our children to make a living? No more, please.
I agree with and applaud this message.
Tamra, it’s not that men don’t get paid enough. It’s most family exceed their needs. Most families think it’s a necessity for their kids to have a phone, a TV in their room, Dad a recreational vehicle, Mom a new car. Granted there are cases where income is low, but most of the time its just over consumption, wants and not needs that send the wife to work. And who has to help them live this lifestyle … tax payers.
I think Steve is correct. When America was primarily made up of single income families, those families spent a lot less. You can live that way today if you choose to. Additionally, I would argue that taxes should be lower, not that income should be higher.
I am not a big fan of government using my money to support childcare. In fact, I’m not a big fan of government!
Tamra is right on track. Our goal needs to be to stabilize the family by having each part of the family fulfill their Biblical role. Moms needs to stay home to nurture their children. Dads need to be “keepers of the Garden” as laid out by God and children need to feel loved by their parents by being nurtured within the family unit. Our state is interfering with God’s design which is to set us up in family units is for the “common good.” This money for daycare used for people who do not have the personal interest in their children the same way as parents. This decision by the state government interferes with the nurturing process. Money becomes the controller of family life. Two books about this are THE MEN WE NEED by Brant Hansen (recommended by our minister) and WHEN CULTURE HATES YOU by Natasha Crain,
“persevering for the Common Ground as ‘Christ followers’ in a hostile Public Square).
Wasteful Spending
We’ve got a moderator on this site that doesn’t like the truth. Any thing you say that might be the least bit offense, and your words are placed in detention and then kick off. I guess we’re just looking for a happy place?