Speaking as the parent of a child who's been in family day care, I don't think it's a great thing for a provider to get extremely attached. Obviously, a burned-out provider who's phoning it in is worse, and we've been there. Seeing one of my daughter's providers do it the right way and one do it the wrong way sent me into this profession. I want the provider to be outstanding at the job: attentive, well-trained, and compassionate. But too much emotional involvement would make me feel uncomfortable, I think. As a parent, I'd feel like the provider's objectivity was compromised.

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