But a researcher involved in the study, and other child-care experts, urged parents on Thursday not to overreact. They suggested the best response would be a nationwide push for improved child-care options. Some parents said they don't have the luxury of changing their lives anyway, regardless of what experts say.
Child care is their only option if they want to make ends meet.
There's no other choice, and his daughter is doing fairly well, he said. But researchers also found that children spending more than 30 hours a week in child care were almost three times as likely to exhibit aggression, disobedience and defiance as those in day care less than 10 hours a week. Margaret Burchinal, a University of North Carolina researcher who oversaw the statistical side of the study, said she was concerned that news reports of the study might cause unwarranted parental concerns. Children in day care aren't turning into monsters, she said. But for some parents, the study's findings were no surprise.