Why Do Low-income Families Choose to Avoid Institutional Daycare and Pre-K?

As IAHE listened to the Pre-K hearings at the Statehouse, advocates of institutional state-funded Pre-K seemed to believe the program needs to be expanded statewide for low-income families, so parents may work or go back to school. Do they consider the possibility that a low-income family may have intentionally given up a second income because they WANT to take responsibility for raising their children?   Homeschoolers love being with their children, and we consider it a privilege to raise them! We find it very troubling to hear advocates imply a low-income family is incapable of properly preparing their child for kindergarten. Some families may even wait until their child is seven to send their child to school! Scandalous! 

State-funded Pre-K will increase taxes and make it even more difficult to take personal responsibility for our children.  If you have young children and prefer to raise them yourself instead of sending them to daycare or Pre-K, your responsibilities may make it difficult for you to share your testimony at the Statehouse. Please share your thoughts here as to why you are willing and capable of preparing your child for school despite a low-income.