I think it is accurate that the current daycare environment is that "every child wants his own adult" but perhaps it would be more accurate to say that "Every Parent of every daycare child wants their child to have their own adult". How did expectations get so high and unrealistic? Group care is just that - Group Care. You are paying a group care price, not a "Nanny one on one price". Parents need to be educated and act responsibly so that daycare is not so hard for their children. For example: Do not practice "attachment parenting" if your child is going to daycare at 6 weeks! Do not co-sleep.

Pump your breast milk and have baby take it from a bottle (for more then a the weekend before daycare starts please)!!! When parents do whatever they "feel" like doing, holding, co-sleeping, baby wearing, never letting baby cry etc. they should not put that baby in daycare. It is just plain wrong to get the child used to this level of attention and then snatch it away so suddenly! If things like co-sleeping, attachment parenting, finger-walking and constant holding are your style of parenting do your child right by staying home with them!!! If you can not afford to stay home then make sure you are doing things EVERYDAY that prepare your child for group care so that he will not suffer. That to me is responsible parenting. Irresponsible parenting is doing whatever you want to "to make up for" the time he is in daycare and because you feel so guilty "your stomach is in knots". Newflash: It is not YOU that matters in this situation. Your child is the one that must endure so give the little guy a break and make it easy on him!

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