ROFL

I got as high as 'one' when counting the judgemental people... how high did you get?

To be fair, there have been a couple of posters in this thread that have allowed for "different strokes for different folks."
Very few have actually done what you are seeing.

Like I said, I didn't read the entire thread. I'm a firm believer in different strokes for different folks. There are imperfections on both sides.

My personal observation of my own daugther and other's children is this is correct. Including the health care aspect...only I caught everything instead.
As for later academic performance, well we should develop the whole child. Seems to me that those taught reading earlier than others, may be ahead for a period of time but most catch up later.

Anyhow, I was lucky the first two years as I had a former K teacher come in a couple days a week but not 'til after the first year. I was nearby and would work and come out for meals and breaks. My kid loved her.

By age 2, I did use dc but only part-time. No one was home for her to play with. However, I would increase her hours when I had more work and deadlines. Those times, she was out of control. When I lowered my work hours again, she was back to a normal well behaved toddler. But I spent time with her and did things with her.

I definitely noticed the other toddlers who were in the dc facility from 7 AM - 6 PM daily were wild animals or cried a lot more. What I found sad was some of them would reach up to me, to be held...they just wanted and needed more personal attention. I felt sorry for them and would pick them up.

So, I think full-time daycare is a crime.

It costs money to work to and if one adds it up, it's often not even worth it.
I feel many do not really have to work as much as they think. A friend of mine who makes well over $160k used it full-time plus nannies at night. In the early grades of school it was replaced with skating, music, and all kinds of structured activities plus baby-sitters at night. Kid had a schedule that would rival a CEO. Plus she was out-of-control...but brilliant.

Just my observation.

I'll throw me $.02 in here since this is near and dear to me ATM. I stay home with my 2.5 year-old and his 12 year-old brother goes to school. Staying home isn't something you do instead of a job, it is a job. Just like throwing your suit on and doing whatever it is you do. I get "paid" not in hard cash but in a lowered cost of living. I don't have to pay for daycare (it starts at aprox $800/mo in my area), I cook most of our meals so we eat better and cheaper. I also don't pay for a second car since my wife's work is at night and we don't "need" one. Staying home also allows us to work with the hassles that come with my wife's chosen career as a nurse. I work 12 hour days, the youngest gets up about 8 AM and goes down about 8 PM, seven days a week. My wife helps when she can but after 4, 12 hour shifts in a week she's not able to completely take over. I also have far more experience with my kids, I can do any and all child care tasks easier and faster than my wife can.

Even if you completely ignore the "time spent with the kids" factor, it seems like a waste to pay someone for a job I can do better. I'm not "unemployed", I do a job far more important than 90% of people. And I get to play with my kids.

We have a family across the street from us with a lazy ass woman that has full time help at home so she can go to her bedroom and sleep or do whatever she wants to do other than raising her child. I have other friends that both work their ass off so they can live in a district that offers an excellent public school. They have one child in school and one preschool age. Their motivation is to stay in this district so both of their children can go to this great public school. Unless they are both working they simply can't afford to live in this area.

I'm very happy this works for you. You're fortunate your wife makes enough $ for this to happen. Not everyone has the same opportunity.

Well good for you! I'm really glad you said this because it's the truth. Too often care of a house with young children in it tearing it up 24/7 can be more work than full-time 40-hr-a-week job. This kind of work is so denigrated in today's society as doing nothing. It's easier in some ways to go to work each day dealing with adults than being home with little ones.

I have a disclaimer in my sig for a reason.

Without painting to board of a stroke here, some people don't try hard enough. I'm with Simplex, kinda, on a lot of this. It is way too complicated of a subject for a definite blueprint but I see many people put their own wants and desires before what is best for the family or the kids.

My question to you is this:

What the f**k is so important about a career? What will it ever give you in return that really matters in the long run?

Maybe the ability for your children to go to the best schools? Get the best education? Have the clothes they need? Food? Shelter?

I think a career can give a lot in return.

You f**king jackass bigot f**k. Don't paint me like that.


:p

This is why my mother hates feminists with a passion. She has always felt like they denigrate her for staying at home and taking care of the kids.