I was talking to my friend the other night and since both of us are grandmas, I thought our topic of conversation was odd. We were discussing child care. One would think that this would not be a concern for us since our children are adults, but we care a lot about who takes care of our grandchildren, too.

My friend did home child care for a while so she could be there for her kids. While my kids were young I only worked when my husband was laid off, but one year I did not work then either because I was not comfortable with the only child care I could find. My friend and I made it financially without working full time. Neither of us are rich, but we are comfortable.

I realize that staying home is not an option for many young families today, and I don't know the exact reason why although certainly today's prices play a big part. Institutional child care workers are not well-paid for the care that they provide, so I often wonder how those institutions justify their fees. I guess it all comes down to supply and demand, even with kids.

Child care is a nagging concern for me at this time because I know it concerns my son and his wife, the parents of my only grandchildren. Their day care provider just got a new job, and while the job is a real blessing to her, now they must hustle to find care with which they are comfortable for their two young sons.

My friend's granddaughter lives in the same town she does. Her paternal grandma, who runs a home daycare, watches her for free, and if a conflict arises, my friend stays home from work and takes care of her. My son and his wife are not so lucky. They live a goodly distance from my husband and me, and both of the grandmas they live close to work.

I don't think being a young parent is ever easy, but sometimes I wish our society had not evolved away from the family support networks we used to have. I know that you have to go where the work is, but it does seem like we as a society should watch out for our children.

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