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Family and Home Network's Philosophy

Solid scientific evidence shows that emotional growth precedes intellectual development in young children, and that relationships are critically important from infancy through the teen years. Accurate information about children’s needs is available. However, much of the information provided to parents by government, the media and advertisers is incomplete and misleading due to economic interests, ideology, and ignorance.

Both mothers and fathers have an interest in the quality of care their children receive. In many families they work interdependently, dividing and/or sharing the caregiving and income-earning work as best suits their particular circumstances. Families choose many different ways to provide quality care for their children, and may change their care arrangements as their children grow.

Single parents make a range of choices about the care of their children. An individual’s preference and the possibilities available to them regarding the care of their children should not be assumed based simply on their marital status.

Decades of heated debate about the care of children has resulted in widespread misconceptions and false assumptions which demand careful analysis and rethinking. Powerful economic, ideological and political forces align on the issue of child care and early education programs, pushing parents who prefer to care for their own children out of consideration.

Efforts to win equality for women in the workplace led to widespread disregard for unpaid caregiving and homemaking, with effects of this lingering today. Women who choose to forgo paid employment in order to care for their children face significant transition issues as they reconcile societal messages, career ambition and their choices about raising their children.

The equality of a marriage does not rest on the number of hours each partner spends earning income or caring for children. In any relationship there are intangibles and factors impossible to measure, and each couple must find what works for them.

Laws need to be changed to protect caregiver’s rights and economic situations in divorce. Concern for unpaid caregivers should drive society to change its laws, not to refuse our children parental care.

Government policies, including taxes, assistance programs, and incentive programs for employers should not favor parents who use paid child care over parents who provide “quality care” for their children in other ways.

Time spent caring for children can be a rich experience for parents, full of opportunity for growth, deep satisfaction and joy.

Parents deserve a place to reflect and recharge without the pressure of advertising.

Sharing their expertise and joining forces, parents increase their effectiveness as advocates for all families.

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Please join our community of wholehearted parents today. Work with us to insure that more parents learn about children’s needs for nurturing care and have the opportunity to choose the care they believe is best for their children.