Comments on: One of those parenting dilemmas

By: mominisrael

mominisrael — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:33:39 +0000

WBM–I personally don’t want my 3yo in school until 4PM, as Dovrat would have required, and I like the short day for the younger elementary school kids too. Instead of forcing teachers to work against their will so they can serve as babysitters, and have to leave their babies and toddlers all day, let the government subsidize after school programs for working parents. I posted about this during the strike; you can see the comments over there.
Tokyo–Welcome.
Thanks to all commenters for their support and for sharing their frustration. I am working on a post to answer Rachel’s questions.
MCG–Sorry to hear that you are having a rough time. Your kids need you, especially now.
Robin, I think you’re wrong about crossing streets. The campaign is not backed up by law, but I would love to be proven wrong. Children can stay home alone from age 6.

By: westbankmama

westbankmama — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:52:15 +0000

This is why we need a long school day in Israel. I stayed home until my youngest was 11 – so I was always home when they got out of school, even if it was 1:30 in the afternoon. But most women who work outside of the home can’t get home at this time. The only mothers that can both work and be at home by 2:00 are teachers – and not everyone can be a teacher. That is why I was so angry that the teachers fought the long school day. I have no sympathy for their complaints about bad salaries – because when you look at it they are being paid a normal salary for a part time job, and they are the ones responsible for a lot of children being neglected.

By: Lion of Zion

Lion of Zion — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:30:22 +0000

TRILCAT:
“Moreover, if parents are regularly neglecting their child, the authorities should get involved.”
of course. i didn’t mean to imply the contrary.

By: MCG770

MCG770 — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:43:04 +0000

I just have to say THANK YOU. I am a divorced woman with 3 kids that has been forced to reenter the “working” world. My house is messy and I am there for my kids when school is over. We eat a hot meal together everyday and each child gets scheduled one-on-one Mommy time….so why the thank you. You are keeping me on track..it would be so easy to let the wave of “norms” wash over me…
Thanks for reminders of the joys of swimming upstream.
L’chaim to happy kids!

By: triLcat

triLcat — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:43:48 +0000

LoZ: It’s unlikely that the issue will go farther up the food chain. However, if the counselor recommends something, it has more weight than if a random mother suggests it.
Moreover, if parents are regularly neglecting their child, the authorities should get involved.

By: Abbi

Abbi — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:53:16 +0000

loz: AFAIK, school counselor does not equal city here in Israel. They work for the ministry of education, not social services. Also, the social services here are not as ferocious as they are in the states; they very rarely grab kids out of homes for no real reason, etc.

By: Lion of Zion

Lion of Zion — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:13:31 +0000

MOTHER IN ISRAEL:
that sound like a nice routine you have in the afternoon
CHANIE:
“good call on getting the school counselor involved. makes it more neutral than coming from you, and also more likely that something will be done.”
on the other hand, are there any repercussions of getting the school involved? i don’t know how it works in israel, but here once you get the city involved it can really cause long-term problems for parents.

By: chanie

chanie — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:56:38 +0000

good call on getting the school counselor involved. makes it more neutral than coming from you, and also more likely that something will be done.

By: Robin

Robin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:34:22 +0000

I’m coming in late, but I have to say that I’m not sure I’d consider it “normal” to leave children on their own like that – at least not in my neighborhood. The only place I ever seem to see children alone (and always the same few (apparently related) children is at the playground in the afternoon, but I think they live right there.
In any case, however common it may or may not be in any given neighborhood, leaving a child to walk home alone is NOT normal – it’s ILLEGAL. Children under age nine are not permitted to cross the street alone, therefore they should not be walking home alone. There are frequent ad campaigns about this, and my son’s school has a huge banner right out in front declaring it in big red letters.

By: mominisrael

mominisrael — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:28:19 +0000

Tamiri–My thoughts exactly. I’ll try to get it up within the next few hours.