Does sending children to a childcare centre make them better, in later life, at resisting infections?

Apparently not.

That theory, however comforting to supporters of institutional child care, seems to be simply wishful thinking.

A new study of 4000 children, published by the American Thoracic Society, confirms that children left by parents at child care centres do indeed get more than their share of infectious diseases, including chest infections and wheezing . . . .

But no evidence emerged of this doing them anything but harm.  (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, September 15, 2009)

* * *

So is there any justification for putting babies into child care? Or is child care purely a convenience for parents?

What, after all, is a baby?

Is it (he or she) merely a lifestyle-accessory for the Mum?

Our politicians think so.  A major Rudd pre-election promise was $1.5 billion for lifting the Childcare Rebate from 30% to 50%.

The assumption is that, in Australia, one has the child, then looks round for somebody else to care for it, at taxpayers’ expense, while you go off and do something else.

Offloading our offspring into institutional existence from toddler-hood suggests that we consider our children to be merely extensions of ourselves . . . .

* * *

Perhaps not only our babies — but the whole Universe itself — is simply an extension of ourselves(?)

This kind of mindset results from our television-damaged brains.

If you don’t like what’s on the television screen, you change channels.

If we aren’t enjoying the Universe, whinge and moan and claim to be a victim — the government might change/rearrange the world to make you more comfy.

* * *

One role of true religion is to teach people how to suffer.

Protestantism, Far-Eastern no-sweat religions, New Age mentalities etc. – these are substitutes for true religion, designed to turn even religion itself into yet another lifestyle-accessory, related to making you feeling good — and unrelated to truth.

Blessed Mary MacKillop, as a good Traditional Catholic, saw more deeply into the issue of suffering.

In a letter to her mother she wrote, “in the trials, annoyances and anxieties we daily experience, may we ever recognise that loving Fatherly Hand that seeks to draw us closer to Himself, by giving us opportunities of suffering something for him . . . What to worldly eyes appear great crosses should be to us great blessings, and even prized as such.”