Cross posted at my blog MoralMeaning.com
Every child should have at least one parent at home.
I believe that our goal as liberals should be to make it possible for every child to be raised by at least one parent at home. I believe that a parent raising a child at home is better for the child than a child being raised through institutional child care or by barely older siblings. It is in the interest of both parents and children for at least one parent to be at home. That’s because the quality of life is most often improved for both the parent at home and the child.
Let me be clear, I am not advocating forced home parenting. And I am not blaming those who want to parent at home but who can’t. Additionally, I am not advocating that at least one parent be at home for every child in a literal sense. I expect that for many families there are other best ways of raising their children – such as a grandparent, uncle or close friend at home. My intent is simply to illustrate the goal – which is to make is possible for every family to have at least one parent at home.
When I say one parent, I mean one parent. This includes families with only one parent. And it includes fathers and mothers. I believe that fathers (men) are obligated to ensure that mothers (women) have the same opportunity to choose between being a parent at home or at work.
I believe that because it is in the best interest of children, because it improves family life generally and because it is something we can do, we should commit to doing what it takes to achieve the goal of at least one parent at home for every child. But how can we do this?
- End poverty through a guaranteed minimum income paid through progressive taxes, and through high quality education and job training programs accessible to all, affordable housing and rent-control programs, and universal health care
- Pay the parent who stays at home by providing social security credits, unemployment benefits, workers compensation to stay at home
- Provide tax incentives to parents who stay at home caring for children
- Reduce unplanned births (especially for young parents) through extensive sex education, birth control distribution and greater access to higher education and other opportunities
If liberals are to stand for something, it makes sense that we stand for getting kids out of institutional care, bringing back the one-wage family and ending poverty. The end of poverty implies prosperity for all. And how better to live richly than for all parents to have the choice of raising their children at home?
