I hope the authors compared this study with the practices in larger populations/countries like India, China or Japan instead of comparing to American Samoa.
Our personal experience is this:
1. We left both my daughter and son (now 27, 23 years) to a Child Day Care facility near the workplace from 6 months onward till they were ready to go to Public Elementary School (M-F from 8 am till 5 pm).
2. This CDC was run by a Director with a PhD in Child Development and a professional staff. I think they taught the kids whatever the professionals believed to be correct and age specific.
3. After 5 pm and during holidays, as working people, we never taught the kids anything special. They learned by just observing us.
Our intent was to provide a stable safe clean comfortable home and toys to play with.
4. Since my son was born, we stayed in the same home. We never tried to change home or work place (moving to other cities etc). This gave the kids the same friends or support group at CDC and the School.
5. When I tried to compare the practices that my parents followed (in Panaikulam, TN) with what we followed (in Houston, TX) there is no difference except the teachings of God, Religion and Rituals.
We provided the kids with a Secular Household. There was no talk of God or Religion.
I certainly believe that our kids grew up well and are doing fine in their adult life. I will not change a thing.
More later...
