Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/preschool-meets-child-care-guest-editorial/5013012/
As the national debate on education reform heats up, preschool has suddenly become a hot topic. For those of us who have been working on early childhood issues long before they moved to the front page, the attention is welcome. During Labor Day celebrations, we heard about working families. When school started, we heard about the need for preschool. We can no longer have a national debate on these issues as if they are separate and unequal. From World War II to welfare reform, child care has been viewed as a place to "put" children while their parents work. Nursery or preschool has been seen as a place where children go to "learn." It is time we help others recognize that child care is an educational opportunity - a place to promote language, literacy, and a love of learning. For many young children, child care is a preschool.Over the past few decades, we have seen tremendous growth in early childhood services. More than l0 million preschoolers in the United States have employed mothers. Almost half of these young children spend part of each week in organized programs including child care centers or family child care homes. Almost 2 million children with ...