Jag är glad att jag gick på dagis : fyrtio ungdomar ser tillbaka på sin uppväxt

During the 1970s the day care centrs expanded in Sweden. Since then a large number of children have attended such centers. For the first time in western history peiople grew up in two systems: the family home and the day care center. The aim of the present study is to find out how young people look upon growing up in a day care center. The children´s perspective is related to the perspective of adults to find out if and in what respects they differ. The study is based upon Bronfenbrenner´s ecologiacal theory of human development. Stern and Emde are used as complementary authorities. Forty young people, 16-17 years old, from middle and lower classes in Stockholm participating in the Family Support and Development (FAST) project from approximately four years of age, were interviewed about their memories of their childhood in daycare centers. They were asked about their pshysical, social and emotional environments and their daily schedule.their narratives are related both to observations from the time when they were approximately four years old and to their situation today including school results, interests and views of the future. Their memories agree with the observations and their school results are good. They have a great belief in their future. They memorize according to strong positive or negative emotions. Situations in which they are personally involved are most important. The results show that three young people dislike the day care center mostly because of their experience of loss of interest and lack of affecrton from the pre-schoolteachers. The remaining 37 young people see the day care center as a complement to their family home. None of the youngsters would like to grow up "only" at home. The childhood is looked upon ass a whole and not as being part of two systems. Most important are the companions and playing together with them. In their own world and in the hidden curriculum the children explored the world. In addition there is a demand also for learning to read and write. They look upon the pre-school teachers as significant adults - not having the same importance as the parents - but serving as models. Adults are sorted out according to those who understand children and those who do not. Humor is of great importance as well as the adult´s grasping ofthe child´s wish to perceive reality from a child´s perspective. Most important is the grown up´s ability to comprehend the child and to let the child be the person he or she feels himself to be