It occurred to me recently that we've gotten to the point where even a relatively average person can outsource just about anything they find distasteful. From housekeeping to grocery delivery to dog-walking, you can pay somebody to do practically anything for you, up to and including care for your child.
Of course nannies and day care are nothing new, but it seems like the average Joe is more and more able to unload the kids even during off hours. Whether it be after-school programs, summer camps, or chaperoned vacations, it seems like lots of parents are looking for ways to abdicate parenting on weekends and holidays.
I recently read an article that talked about the growing popularity of cruises as a family get-away. A major reason cited is that many cruise lines offer kids' programs that take children off of parents' hands. This made me think, as I have on numerous occasions lately, about the safety of these programs. Don't parents ever worry that their child will be victimized in some way while in the care of complete strangers? I don't mean to be alarmist, but I just wouldn't be comfortable turning over a 5 or 6 year old to some cruise ship events person and hoping for the best.
The same thing goes for many of these other programs. Let's face it -- whether it be some kind of overt abuse or just sheer negligence, it's probably not possible to judge by superficial appearances whether someone is sufficiently reliable to entrust them with the care of my child. Parents seem to be so eager for alone time, or adult interaction or what have you, that they are all too ready to assume that someone else has done the leg work to make sure these care providers are on the up-and-up.
Maybe this shouldn't be surprising, considering that from what I gather there are plenty of parents who send their kids over to play with friends without ever meeting the adults concerned. They're just happy that little Susie will be playing at someone else's house, and assume that Susie and her friend will be appropriately supervised by responsible adults. Call me crazy, but unfortunately I think we are past the days when it's OK to assume anything when it comes to kids and their safety.
Monday, April 7, 2008
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Your comments about "outsourcing" got a hearty laugh. Unfortunately it is all too true in our society. We want children but are unwilling to commit to taking care of them. As for the "cruising" popularity, I must have read a similar article on yahoo news. I was horrified that these eleven year-olds interviewed for being "experienced cruisers" were running around the ship, unattended. "Pedophile's Paradise" came to mind... it's really quite frightening.
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