Published July 27, 2026
Talk about the nanny state. Marxist Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants to play babysitter to the children of New York City. He announced a “Parents’ Night Out” taking place on Aug. 16. Kids can be dropped off at rec centers around the city for government-supervised games, activities (including “media education programs”) and a free dinner while parents go do, well, whatever.
Many conservatives found this idea ridiculous and even revolting, but a few folks on the right thought the proposition might be a good, pro-family policy. After all, parents do need babysitters now and then, and this is not (yet) a big expenditure — spots are limited and parents have to register ahead of time.
But you should never trust socialists with your kids. It is understandable that conservatives working on family policy would want to encourage the left to think in more pro-family ways. However, they need to be careful not to become cheap dates, impressed by small-scale PR moves while ignoring enormous damage elsewhere. In this case, a few hours of community center babysitting doesn’t make up for New York rent costs being now higher than ever, a problem Mamdani’s economically illiterate policies will only worsen.
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Nathanael Blake, Ph.D. is a Fellow in the Life and Family Initiative at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. His first book, Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All, was published by Ignatius Press in Spring 2025. As a cultural commentator, Dr. Blake has published hundreds of articles at outlets including Public Discourse, World Opinions, The Federalist, Catholic World Report, and the University Bookman.
