Thinking of the Children

Dalton solves a problem.

Full-day kindergarten has a few noisy advocates in the education research community, and, no doubt, near-universal support from working parents (or prospective parents) of children below kindergarten age. The specific question few are asking right now is whether there is any meaningful developmental difference between full-day and halfday kindergarten; in other words, whether this policy is likely to actually deliver any social benefit in exchange for the staggering, probably permanent cost to taxpayers. Or will it simply socialize the cost of child-care that working parents now pay to day-care centres and private nannies.

For parents lucky enough to have relatives to baby-sit, it's a non-issue. For those forced to rely on daycare and nannies (for the rich) it's a gift from the heavens, or more accurately a bribe from their friendly neighbourhood statist. Much easier to keep the kids in one location during the workday. This is another one of those "problems" created by government and "solved" by more government. One of the main reasons mothers of young children work is financial need. Thanks to punishing marginal tax rates on the middle class. It was a mere two generations ago that one parent could provide a decent lifestyle for a family of four. If the Dalt was truly concerned about his legacy he might consider cutting taxes, allowing parents to raise their own children rather than unionized government employees. The federal Liberals lost their bid for universal childcare in 2006. The Dalt has succeeded where they failed, through the backdoor of full day kindergarten.