Would you trust your children to any of these disreputable men? My youngest uncle, 9 years older, is smoking a pipe. Jesus's rates were low (my third brother).  Emma loved her 15-year-old uncle's flute playing and would run from anywhere in my parent's home to listen, enraptured. at his feet. That bearded guy with the glasses is her Daddy.  Emma is reading to my fourth brother in the last picture. One day on the train, age 2, Emma inquired: "Daddy, where did all their beards go?"

I had 3 young uncles 9, 11, and 13 years older who have been absolutely wonderful to me all my life.  I lived with my mother's family  (5 uncles, 1 aunt) the first two years of my life before my dad returned from the war and my parents could afford a house.  Uncle Frank and I watched Sal Maglie pitch a no-hitter for the Dodgers in a September 1956 night game. We were thrilled when our uncles came to Uniondale to babysit. Uncle Frank, six foot five, would hang from the top of the swing set, and we were allowed to keep all the money that fell out of his pockets. My brothers were outraged when our uncles got married and had children of their own, and they were stuck with me as their babysitter. I have never had a tougher job.  Potato chip bribes were often necessary.

I admit I would not have trusted my brother Joe, 18 months younger as a babysitter. He had a proven track record of getting younger brothers on the roof.  Noq Joe is the father of six  (4 boys, 2 girls) and the grandpa of four. T  My youngest brothers were 15 and 17 when my daughter Emma was born. Going on vacation with them was pure joy for my daughters. My youngest brother (flutist) lived with us for 9 months when he was 20.  His nieces were in heaven.

In NYC women's liberatiion was at its height when my three older daughters were born. We were all obsessed with nonsexist childrearing. My daughters' playgroups had helping daddies as well as helping mommies. We used a babysitting cooperative of parents when we went out; daddies were more likely to be the evening babysitters. My kids were much more excited when someone's daddy was coming and let down if the mommy showed up.

Michelle  had a male nursery school teacher. My daughters had one male teacher in a one-room schoolhouse private school in Maine. On Long Island they only had two male teachers in grade school; one was their favorite teacher. My brother is a grade school teacher in Maine. He says male teachers of young children feel like everyone regards them as potential child molesters.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, men comprise:

5.4 % of Child Care Workers
8.5 % of Teacher Assistants
2.7 % of Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers

What are we teaching our children about sex roles? Have you used guys as babysitters? When did your child first have a male teacher?  How do you answer if your children inquire why they never have men as teachers? Do you encourage your teen  sons to babysit? How would you react if you son announced he wanted to teach kindergarten? Or even fourth grade? How old were you when you had your first male teacher? Were any of your babysitters guys? OS men, did you babysit?

What does this teach our children about sex roles? No wonder young boys have more trouble adjusting to totally women-dominated classrooms.