So often we hear about terrible abuses or accidents in daycares. Sometimes they're just wicked people preying on children. Other times it's good people, trying to do a good thing, and something bad just happens.
I don't choose to stay home with my babies because I fear some evil person will intentionally harm my child, or expose her to something damaging - although this IS a risk. No, it's far more than that. And one element of that decision is time.
When I heard about the infant who died in the hospital, my heart just broke. I cannot imagine the pain of losing a baby at all, but how must that mother feel? Now, I don't know the circumstances - whether she was a single mom and that daycare was the only option if her other children were going to eat in a day, or if she was in a critical time for career development - but circumstances aside, I'm sure her pain and regret must be keen. I don't mean that the daycare was in any way responsible and she regrets putting her child into a situation that ultimately took his or her life (indeed, I've heard nothing like that), but that she certainly must regret the loss of so much time.
None of us know how much time we have left on this earth, and we certainly don't know how much time our children have. We hope and pray that we all live long, fulfilling lives, but that's not always the case.
Her child had 8 months.
How many of those months were spent clinging to and savoring the sweet blessing that was her child? Did she assume that she could "make up for it" later? There is no such thing. And whether her decision to put her baby in the care of others was based on dire necessity or mere convenience, it still cost the same in time.
How often do we let the moments slip by that we could be loving, training, building our children? How much time do we lose?
And is it worth it?
