Madam, - Bernadette Wynne's letter of September 28th is typical of the nit-picking responses to your columnists that Kevin Myers mentioned the previous day.
John Waters's column on Monday was a timely comment on how the raising of children in our society today is being debated in terms of how we can fit it into our economic plans, instead of focusing on what is best for children. At no point did suggest that all children who are looked after in daycare would have problems in future life; yet Ms Wynne's response tries to refute such an argument. What he did say is that there was a greater chance of children who attended full-time daycare having problems in the future than those who were raised at home by a parent. Surely that is just common sense.
However, people are free to make their own choices on this matter and there will be many wonderful children raised in loving families where both parents choose to work outside the home. What is most galling, however, is that the Government, aided by so-called women's organisations such as the NWCI has decided our society should actively encourage both parents to do this. Those who choose not to do so pay an economic price by paying a higher percentage of tax than dual-income couples.
It is about time that someone in the political establishment stood up for single-income couples and parents (mainly women) who choose to raise their own children at home. The Government is not interested and neither is the NWCI. - Yours, etc,
KEVIN WINDLE,
Glencairn Heights,
Leopardstown,
Dublin 18.