2008 Woodie Awards
Nanny laws: practically perfect in every way
Katie O'Hara
Issue date: 10/29/07 Section: Opinion
In recent years, a myriad of laws have been passed "threatening" American's freedom of choice, imposing on our fundamental right to make decisions for ourselves.
Now the government is telling us how to be parents. Just this month, governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill that will make it a crime to smoke in a car with a child passenger.
This is an outrage. It's not hurting anyone when we talk on our cell phones while driving, give our kids a spanking every so often to enforce some discipline or blow smoke into babies' faces.
Then again, maybe it is. According to the Declaration of Independence, all U.S. citizens have the right to pursue happiness.
That right ends, however, when it starts to infringe upon someone else's well-being.
Maybe these "nanny laws" are interfering with your right to be whatever kind of parent you want to be. Maybe you already know how to raise your children and don't need anyone looking over your shoulder.
But in 2004, an estimated 1,490 children died in the U.S. as a result of abuse or neglect.
And in 2005, according to a study conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, there were an estimated 899,000 reported cases of child abuse.
So is it really true that every parent out there knows exactly how hard they're supposed to spank their kids, or even how often they need to feed them? Maybe a nanny stepping in wouldn't be such an awful idea.
In order to drive a car, operate certain machinery, run a business or any number of other mundane activities, you have to go through rigorous testing and become certified.
But to bring children into the world - to become responsible for cultivating a human life - you have to get pregnant, and have a baby. That's it.
There's no test to decide if you're ready, and children don't get a say as to which family the stork drops them into.
If so many parents don't know what is or isn't good for their children - or worse, don't care - why shouldn't the government step in?
Now the government is telling us how to be parents. Just this month, governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill that will make it a crime to smoke in a car with a child passenger.
This is an outrage. It's not hurting anyone when we talk on our cell phones while driving, give our kids a spanking every so often to enforce some discipline or blow smoke into babies' faces.
Then again, maybe it is. According to the Declaration of Independence, all U.S. citizens have the right to pursue happiness.
That right ends, however, when it starts to infringe upon someone else's well-being.
Maybe these "nanny laws" are interfering with your right to be whatever kind of parent you want to be. Maybe you already know how to raise your children and don't need anyone looking over your shoulder.
But in 2004, an estimated 1,490 children died in the U.S. as a result of abuse or neglect.
And in 2005, according to a study conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, there were an estimated 899,000 reported cases of child abuse.
So is it really true that every parent out there knows exactly how hard they're supposed to spank their kids, or even how often they need to feed them? Maybe a nanny stepping in wouldn't be such an awful idea.
In order to drive a car, operate certain machinery, run a business or any number of other mundane activities, you have to go through rigorous testing and become certified.
But to bring children into the world - to become responsible for cultivating a human life - you have to get pregnant, and have a baby. That's it.
There's no test to decide if you're ready, and children don't get a say as to which family the stork drops them into.
If so many parents don't know what is or isn't good for their children - or worse, don't care - why shouldn't the government step in?
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