Any step-parents here?

[HelloMiffy 1]

This might be related to the fact that in the USA kids aren't generally safe to be walking the streets alone. I noticed in Egypt that kids also wander free there and when I spoke with my husband about it he told me that kids are rarely targets of crimes like they are here. That might be part of the issue.

Interesting. I think you might be right. There's a lot of fear of our children being kidnapped or assaulted by a stranger, but statistically, most child abuse happens within families....someone they know and trust. So keeping children locked up inside the house all day isn't really keeping them safe.

So true. Our school (and most schools in NY states) goes from 8 to 2:30pm. It's like saying that parents with small kids can't work or spend all the money they earn for expensive daycares It's insane.

Yep. My wife just started working again (we have a 15 month old son) and childcare is so expensive, I don't know how people making only minimum wage can afford to work. Thankfully, my wife's parents were just granted a 10 year, multiple entry Visa so they will stay with us for periods of time to help out with the kids.

Wow, lucky you! I'm jealous. We have that arrangement at her biological mom's (who is a custodial parent) household. But not here. My mom's is stack in Japan and my husband's mom is stack in England. Neither of them is good at small children