Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-03-13-Speech-2-190"
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"en.20070313.20.2-190"2
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"Mr President, our children are by far the most valuable of our assets. However, at the same time they are also the most vulnerable, not just because of their sensitive somatic and psychological needs while growing up, but also because of the numerous perils encountered in modern living. For these reasons, amongst many others, our children unquestionably need and deserve our utmost care and attention. However, in a world in which both parents may be frantically fighting their way into a busy career rat race, a world in which both parents may be consumed in the daily fight of earning more, a world in which the forces of social strain may have destroyed family cohesion, a world in which geographical separation may have diminished the invaluable assistance of grandparents and other close family members – in such a world parental childcare may suffer severely.
This is the world that Member States must assist promptly and comprehensively. There should be encouragement of initiatives to create a greater number of and better-suited childcare services; provision for special leave flexibility for parents; and the establishment of working environments adapted to the needs of parents. These are just some of the main necessities. In addition, innovative measures should also be encouraged and improved upon, such as parent counselling services or even schooling for parents, whereby parents may be given greater knowledge and support on how to be better parents and how best to cope with the problems of parenthood.
In conclusion, let us never forget that no childcare services, however good they may be, can replace parental love and affection. Along with all other measures, perhaps we should also encourage people to re-evaluate their priorities in life. Is it better for a family to have a higher income but less child-parent contact? Is it in the best interests of a family to have two full-time career-chasing parents who rarely meet up at the family dinner? Every parent should perhaps consider these questions and try to answer them honestly for their children’s sake."@en1
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