By Charlotte Shipman
The most important thing for a parent and child to spend together is time.
“I am really frankly concerned about babies who are got up out of their cots at 6 in the morning, to be at their child care at 7.30, and not picked up again til 5.30 or 6 at night, I don't think that's a desirable way for a small infant to be living,” says Dame Lesley Max.
But it's a reality for many families. Some children are expected to spend around 10,000 hours in daycare before they're five.
Dame Lesley Max says it's well established, children are more at risk of developing aggressive and challenging behaviour if they spend long hours in early childhood care.
“Many children in that circumstance lack a sense of safety and security and life seems to them a bit of a battle ground. And they have to be the dominant one, or the one that suffers,” she says.
The chief executive of the Early Childhood Council doesn't believe there is an increase in aggression in young children.
“I think what we are seeing is perhaps a little bit more attention on the issue than we may have before, and I don't think that should be confused with some sort of massive increase and a whole bunch of little toddlers running around with gang patches beating people up,” says Peter Reynolds.
Mr Reynolds says many aggressive children are not involved with early childhood centres and if they were their parents would have better access to help.
Mrs Max says there's no magic equation, but maintains a balanced approach to both early childhood centres and parental care leads to a balanced child.
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