Daycare Danger

Analysis of the largest, longest running, and most comprehensive study of child care in the U.S. finds the more time children spend in center-based care before kindergarten, the more likely their teachers are to report such problem behaviors as “gets in many fights,” “disobedient,” and “argues a lot.” The study confirms earlier Canadian research which found daycare children were 17 times more hostile than those raised at home, and 3 times more anxious. An ’05 study from England confirmed a mother’s care is best for toddlers’ development, while nursery care is linked to higher aggression levels. An ’06 Austra lian study claims day-care seems to damage babies’ brain chemistry and affect their “social and emotional development.