Kids in class don't have to cause problems
The Traveler Editorial Board
Issue date: 2/27/09 Section: Opinion
Homework, tests, jobs and other responsibilities are a part of the daily worries for most college students.
Some, however, have a much larger responsibility to wake up to every morning - caring for a child. And finding the best situation for that child while also taking classes can be a complicated and stressful situation.
An on-campus child-care center, various local day cares, and friends and relatives can all be useful options for watching the little ones.
However, the on-campus child-care center only enrolls 19 children at a time, all of whom are infants and toddlers.
And though Fayetteville has numerous day cares from which to choose, they can be quite pricey.
Finally, relatives and friends have lives, too, and can't always fit in time to babysit.
So, even with all of these choices, there are days when things just don't work out and a parent has to bring a child to class, or risk skipping the class altogether.
So, what should happen?
We all have heard students complain about the presence of little kids in their classrooms, and sometimes, the criticism is warranted.
Parents know how their child behaves in public and should base their decision on whether the child should accompany them to class on how important attending class is and how they think their child would handle the situation.
In general, kids and classrooms could mix - parents simply should be considerate of the other students in the class as much as possible. A good - and easy - way to do this would be to simply sit in the back of the class or close to the door in case the child begins to cry or cause a disruption.
We're sensitive enough to understand that taking a child to class can sometimes be necessary, depending on the particular classroom design.
However, parents need to take responsibility for their children and the situation and take precaution to avoid disturbing the rest of the class as much as possible.
Some, however, have a much larger responsibility to wake up to every morning - caring for a child. And finding the best situation for that child while also taking classes can be a complicated and stressful situation.
An on-campus child-care center, various local day cares, and friends and relatives can all be useful options for watching the little ones.
However, the on-campus child-care center only enrolls 19 children at a time, all of whom are infants and toddlers.
And though Fayetteville has numerous day cares from which to choose, they can be quite pricey.
Finally, relatives and friends have lives, too, and can't always fit in time to babysit.
So, even with all of these choices, there are days when things just don't work out and a parent has to bring a child to class, or risk skipping the class altogether.
So, what should happen?
We all have heard students complain about the presence of little kids in their classrooms, and sometimes, the criticism is warranted.
Parents know how their child behaves in public and should base their decision on whether the child should accompany them to class on how important attending class is and how they think their child would handle the situation.
In general, kids and classrooms could mix - parents simply should be considerate of the other students in the class as much as possible. A good - and easy - way to do this would be to simply sit in the back of the class or close to the door in case the child begins to cry or cause a disruption.
We're sensitive enough to understand that taking a child to class can sometimes be necessary, depending on the particular classroom design.
However, parents need to take responsibility for their children and the situation and take precaution to avoid disturbing the rest of the class as much as possible.
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