A Consumer Good

Entrepreneurship in Childcare Services 4 (2+2)

Lesson 6 : Six Basic Types of Child Development Centers

A Consumer Good

Early private nursery schools and kindergartens were used by parents as a consumer good, which is “nice to have if one can afford it.” Private early childhood programs were the province of the middle and upper classes. Evidence of elitism surfaced when parents took pride in having a child enrolled in a prestigious school. Occasionally parents were required to reserve a place for their child during infancy to be assured of a space when the child was ready at age three or four. One early childhood professional indicated that some of these private schools were analogous to the private clubs of the parents. They were complete with everything for the child’s entertainment.

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Last modified: Thursday, 2 February 2012, 6:48 AM