Child care an issue for all
Salmon Arm Observer
Dec 15 2009
Opinion - Sheri Hamilton

In response to the article "Caught in a Conundrum" (Dec 9) I could not agree more with the argument that we need more spots for quality licensed daycare in Salmon Arm.

Quality daycare is in the interests of children, parents and employers.

My two children have been in full-time daycare since they were one year old. They are becoming independent little people who have learned how to socialize, problem solve and think.

Because we have excellent care my husband and I are both able to work in our chosen professions and contribute to our local economy .

Since my husband is self-employed, he has also been able to employ other people, which has a further economic impact.

We put our name on a waiting list for a daycare as soon as I knew I was pregnant and we were successful in obtaining a spot.

My family is very fortunate that we have excellent childcare, but I feel for the parents who are scrambling to find care for their children that is of a high quality, safe and reasonably affordable (a relative term).

In addition to encumbering families, the lack of daycare spaces affects employers.

Problems with daycare result in a significant drain on productivity at work and eventually can lead to the permanent loss of valued employees.

The need for quality daycare hasn't been just a "woman's issue" for some time now; it is society's.