One for the parents among us....

[doodab]

So, our child's well being is fecked because I go out to work?

It depends how old s/he is. There are quite a few studies that show that high levels of group childcare from an early age have a detrimental effect on very young children compared to those who are cared for by parents, mostly affecting emotional and behavioural development i.e. they become more aggressive and disobedient. Once they are 3 or 4 years old however "early education" seems to be beneficial.

[SupremeSpod]

It depends how old s/he is. There are quite a few studies that show that high levels of group childcare from an early age have a detrimental effect on very young children compared to those who are cared for by parents, mostly affecting emotional and behavioural development i.e. they become more aggressive and disobedient. Once they are 3 or 4 years old however "early education" seems to be beneficial.

I'm glad your kids came with an instruction manual, unfortunately ours didn't. I think we'll "wing" it, we're not doing too bad thus far.

[SimonMac]

I'm glad your kids came with an instruction manual, unfortunately ours didn't. I think we'll "wing" it, we're not doing too bad thus far.

Mine came with this:



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Manual-.../dp/1844257592

[cailin maith]

Mine came with this:



Baby Manual: Conception to 2 Years Haynes Owners Workshop Manual: Amazon.co.uk: Dr. Ian Banks: Books

We have that too!!

[FiveTimes]

I'm glad your kids came with an instruction manual, unfortunately ours didn't. I think we'll "wing" it, we're not doing too bad thus far.

My instruction manual was passed down from my parents.

Family meals, don't cheek your parents, praise when praise is required, discipline when required.
Routine, bath, bottle, bed. simple stuff and it works. If kids are tired they play up.

[d000hg]

I'm glad your kids came with an instruction manual, unfortunately ours didn't. I think we'll "wing" it, we're not doing too bad thus far.

Yeah following science would make it too easy

There's clearly a big difference between going back to work, and being an awful working mother who fits her kid around her job. I imagine CM is the former type, don't you guys have Catholic roots about family being top priority after all

[cailin maith]

My instruction manual was passed down from my parents.

Family meals, don't cheek your parents, praise when praise is required, discipline when required.
Routine, bath, bottle, bed. simple stuff and it works. If kids are tired they play up.

Very similar - we figured routine from the moment we got home was best way forward. He was 6 days old mind you when we got home. We were both being treated for infections. But he settled down really quick.

Bath, bottle and bed is the best routine ever and he loves it. He sits on my lap in his bedroom, after his last bottle with his arms out to the cot so he can settle down and snuggle up to his teddy. He's been sleeping through since he was about 6 weeks. Bliss.

[gingerjedi]

My wife wanted to work, she went from customer service manager at a cutting edge pharma to primary school admin for 16 hours a week term time only to fit in with the kids holidays.

She earns £400 a month and it cost £120 for the youngest to do a half day a week at nursery whilst the grandparents do the rest.

I think France has a flat fee of 12 Euro a day for child care.

[doodab]

I'm glad your kids came with an instruction manual, unfortunately ours didn't. I think we'll "wing" it, we're not doing too bad thus far.

Nobody's kids came with an instruction manual. It falls on us as parents to make the choices we feel are right.

I was merely pointing out that the scientific evidence such as it is shows that large amounts of very early group childcare has a detrimental effect. In my opinion the public policy of practically forcing women to stuff the kids in the crèche and go back to work after a few months is misguided. It ought to be a choice that can be made after weighing the pros and cons and for a lot of people it's an economic necessity.

[SupremeSpod]

Mine came with this:



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Manual-.../dp/1844257592

Lucky bastard. I had to buy ours.