Care of Children

One thing Ellen Goodman forgot to mention in her Oct. 26 commentary (“Death at Home With the Nanny”) is a fact our entire society tries as hard as it can to forget: The vast majority of child murders in this country are perpetrated by parents themselves. Baby sitters and nannies are profoundly underrepresented as abusers, exploiters, rapists and murderers of children, compared with parents who engage in these activities.

I came from a very abusive home myself, but thank God I also had a wonderful baby sitter, full of Christian love and charity. I was able to be molded by her calm moral guidance despite the horrific atmosphere I had to endure at home. Without her I shudder to think who I might have been today.

PATRICIA SCHWARZ

Pasadena

Goodman protests too much. What used to be considered a sacred trust--the nurturing and loving care of babies and children--is now considered passe.

It is a question of a shift in basic values. Infants and children are not exotic pets to be cared for by strangers, or dropped off like dogs at a kennel.

RUTH ROSEN

Santa Monica