Generally, I support tax-funded social service programs, but I draw the line at the implication of Mr. Minder’s letterÂthat government could replace the proper role of parents in raising children.

Early childhood education (ECE) is important, as Mr. Minder argues, but ECE is often a coded term for what is essentially institutional daytime child care for parents employed outside the home. Alternatively, many families have found that the best way to contribute to their young children’s education is to keep them in the care of a stay-at-home parent or other loving family member.

As talented as ECE teachers may be, they are no substitute for the bonds that form within the family. Stay-at-home moms or dads can provide the secure attachment and rich home life that is necessary for young children, while at the same time saving the many thousands of dollars a year that Mr. Minder calculates it costs for full-time day care. When parents educate themselves about child development and employ responsive parenting techniques, they can be their children’s best teachers, providing a nurturing and stimulating environment, all for free!

Stay-at-home parenting IS affordable for the average American family. With careful budgeting and a sincere de-emphasis of the modern consumer lifestyle, families can live on one income (or two part-time incomes), allowing one parent to raise children at home and make a real investment in their future.

Megan Miller,

Lawrence