Summary
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Daycare can stress babies out and lead to ADHD-like issues.
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Babies need consistent caregivers for healthy development.
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The first three years set the foundation for emotional health.
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We’re often putting careers first—and kids pay the price.
About This Post
This post is a summarized breakdown of insights shared in the video “Child Attachment Expert: We’re Stressing Newborns & It’s Causing ADHD! Hidden Dangers Of Daycare!” from The Diary of a CEO. The episode features child attachment expert Erica Komisar, who shares decades of research on early development and the hidden costs of daycare. All scientific insights and recommendations in this post are based on the explanations given in that interview.
The Growing Crisis: ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression
We’re seeing a silent epidemic:
1 in 5 children faces anxiety, depression, or serious behavior issues. ADHD diagnoses have exploded in the past twenty years.“These aren’t just numbers.
They’re red flags waving at us—showing how modern life leaves our kids feeling unsafe.”
This isn’t just about kids “adjusting.”
It’s about what happens when babies grow up without the steady, emotional ground they need.
Babies’ Needs in a Changing World
The world is changing fast.
More work, more screens, more noise.
But babies?
They haven’t changed.
They still need a safe space. A calm, gentle presence. Someone who sees them and says, “You matter most.”“Babies don’t care about your deadlines or your busy calendar—
they care about who’s there when they reach out.”
Why Babies Need Consistent Emotional Presence
Babies come into the world completely dependent.
Every cry, every reach is a question:
“Will someone be there for me?”When one steady caregiver answers,
they learn:
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The world is safe.•
People can be trusted.•
They’re never truly alone.“When babies know someone is always there, they don’t just feel better—
they grow up believing the world is worth exploring.”
But when no one’s there,
tiny hearts go into survival mode.
They might:
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Be hyper-alert and anxious.•
Shut down and retreat.•
Feel alone, even when surrounded by people.It’s not about perfect parenting.
It’s about that one steady promise:
“You matter. I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.” The Hidden Cost of Early Separation
For many families, daycare feels like the only choice.
But for babies, it can be a quiet heartbreak.
They might look okay on the outside.
But inside, they’re learning:
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“I have to figure this out alone.”•
“No one’s really here for me.”•
“The world isn’t safe after all.”“The real damage isn’t in loud cries—
it’s in the quiet ways babies learn to be alone.”
The Modern Myth: Daycare and Working Mothers
We hear it everywhere:
“Daycare is great for babies.”
“Working moms can do it all.”
And yes—daycare can help, and moms can thrive.
But babies don’t care about what’s “supposed” to work.
They care about:
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Who sees them?•
Who’s there when they’re scared?•
Who holds them when it all feels too big?Daycare can’t fully fill that gap—no matter how caring the staff.
The Cultural Shift: Can We Really “Have It All”?
We’re told:
“You can have it all—career, family, balance.”But babies don’t understand “balance.”
They can’t put off their needs for later.
They need:
Comfort, right now. Connection, today. Someone to say, “You’re my priority.”“It’s a hard truth—
but babies can’t wait for us to be done chasing dreams.”
What Babies Actually Need—And Why It’s Hard
Babies don’t need fancy routines or the perfect nursery.
They need:
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🫶 Someone calm and present.
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Someone who makes them feel safe.•
A home where they’re seen and known.Let’s be honest:
That’s not easy.
It takes time.
It takes saying “no” to some things so we can say “yes” to what matters most.
The Inconvenient Truth We Don’t Want to Face
We want to believe:
“I can do it all.” “Babies will be fine if I just juggle harder.”But babies don’t care about our hustle.
They care about who’s truly there for them.
When no one is, they carry that emptiness.
Not always with tears—
but in the quiet ways they pull back from the world.
A Call for Honest Choices: Putting Babies First
This isn’t about blame.
It’s about honesty.
Babies don’t need everything to be perfect.
They don’t need everything to be easy.
They just need someone who says:
“I’m here for you. You’re more important than anything else.”If we’re serious about giving kids the best start,
it begins with that steady, human presence—
again and again.
“Babies don’t need a perfect world—
they need to know they matter most.”