But perfection is an ideal, as illusive as that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This isn't a perfect world. Today's economic realities prevent many parents from staying home with their children. We're not talking third cars and second homes in Vail. Both parents in many families hold down full-time jobs and still barely get by.
Single parents have it the worst.
Some parents work outside the home because they enjoy it. It enriches their lives and makes them a happier, more well-rounded parent at home. Whatever the reasons, the fact is that the majority of our children are cared for by somebody other than their mother. More than half of infants under 12 months are cared for regularly by someone other than their mother, according to the latest statistics. It's the reality of today.