Only 5 weeks to go...

[snaw]

Wow! you must be really isolated from the "day to day" of raising children if you come to this sweeping statement.
Put it this way, Have you ever gone to playgroup meetings with other mums?
Have you ever spent real time with your children? and no I don't mean taking them to third party "events" like cinemas etc. I mean building sandcastles together, playing lego together, riding bikes together. Teaching (talking to)them on how to behave and respect themselves and others. I suspect that your parents had no time for you and thats why you think nothing of it yourself.

Actually yes. I spend loads of time with them, every day. At least 3 hours a day, way more than most working dads I know. Plus I've taken big chunks of time off contracting, so got to spend weeks at a time with them. I've gone to kids play groups, done lego, built sandcastles and a whole lot more besides that.

You've no idea, you don't know me or anything about my life so to come out with this absolute and utter bollocks says more about you, and your presumptions about others people than me and my life with my kids. I won't even get into how much my parents 'valued me'.

I offered a few observations about kids in nurseries, as opposed to ones who aren't. Like anything it's never 100% true, but it's just what I've seen - in my own, and in other friends kids.

Who took the jam out of your doughnut btw?

You're absolutely right. In your case its probably best that other people look after your children.
However, if you want to stop being inept at looking after their emotional welbeing, maybe you should try to see your children as people, part of your flesh and blood......and not as one of your possesions or "things".

Flame me all you wish - but you know I'm right. Deal with it before its too late and you miss out on your own personal journey of child rearing.
Snaw, Grow up

See above. You're absolutely 100% wrong.

BTW Is this an SA sockpuppet?

Seems a bit of a vicious assault for no discernible reason, and the only person on this thread I seemed to e annoying was SA, and then suddenly this. I sincerely hope not, cause it's pretty pathetic if so.

[TykeMerc]

My kids are well past the nursery stages (eldest off to Uni this year), but I'm astounded at how much people are talking about spending on childcare.

If the nursery costs £10k a year that means the partner (ok 99% of the time mother) who did the caring pre nursery has to earn a basic salary of around £15k just to cover the childcare and not being at home costs. I do wonder if some people have done break even calculations.

[EternalOptimist]

I never sent my kids to a nursery because I never had to. I think that at £1k a month it would come close to 'mm is there another way to do this?'

I really had no idea it was that expensive

[tino]

FWIW Snaw, I agree with you - Social interaction provided by Nursery is invaluable in a childs development (plus they get all the nasty ails out of the way early)

[Pickle2]

If the nursery costs £10k a year that means the partner (ok 99% of the time mother) who did the caring pre nursery has to earn a basic salary of around £15k just to cover the childcare and not being at home costs. I do wonder if some people have done break even calculations.

So the lesson here is to marry a rich old bird.

[Platypus]

So the lesson here is to marry a rich old bird.

Now you tell me - a bit darned late

[EternalOptimist]

Now you tell me - a bit darned late

my brother married a rich bird, a millionairess - no bs.

[TykeMerc]

FWIW Snaw, I agree with you - Social interaction provided by Nursery is invaluable in a childs development (plus they get all the nasty ails out of the way early)

You can achieve all of that with playgroups and social organisations, I don't feel that my children missed out by being cared for by their mother until school age.
Mind you all kids here get access to state Nursery schools from the age of 3ish for half of each weekday which I believe used to be something of a rarity.

[TykeMerc]

my brother married a rich bird, a millionairess - no bs.

Lucky bugger!!!

[tino]

You can achieve all of that with playgroups and social organisations, I don't feel that my children missed out by being cared for by their mother until school age.
Mind you all kids here get access to state Nursery schools from the age of 3ish for half of each weekday which I believe used to be something of a rarity.

I think 1 day a week is good for a childs development, just my opinion mate