For those that don’t use daycare

Some day cares recommend that children are in their care for a certain amount of time (usually 2-3 mornings/full days whatever they are open/believe) so that the children are familiar with their surroundings and know the routine of the centre.

IN saying that, Isaac only went to morning kindy one morning a week for 6 months and he loved his one morning

I would give almost anything to be a SAHM. And this is a huge surprise to me as I was very career focussed before he came along. I feel sad every single morning when I drop him at daycare, and am almost beside myself with excitement when I go to collect him! I work part time, 9-3, so we get a good couple of hours together in the morning and then at least 4 in the afternoon/evenings, but it never feels like enough.

Stink thing is, both DH and I earn very good money and if I told you what DH earns alone you'd probably wonder why on earth we can't afford for me to be at home! But our mortgage payments are huge at the moment with the horrendous interest rates, and he pays $1500 a month child support for his other two kids, so it actually leaves us very little over without my salary.

I get so envious of the lucky mums who get to stay home. Not that I think its the easy option - the furtherst thing from actually. But I so want to be a SAHM!

Grizzle over

I have a wee suggestion... Playcentre

We love it, its like a kindy but parents can stay (well have to until the kids are toilet trained) I found playgroups great for babies but when they were older there wasn't as much to do. My favourite part of playcentre is that I don't have to sit there and gossip with the other parents, I follow the kids round so its more about them than me. But if I'm in a chatty mood I could easily sit down and chat for a good hour or so. Not everyone loves playcentre but it has worked out well for us. The kids get the stimulation but i'm still involved with their care.

MrsMojo...the trend at some places seems to be to impose a minimum time..thats an individual centre thing as nothing in the curriculum or in general says they need to do that..it annoys me that they can pick and choose what times they have people..probably as funding is easier to sort out for full-timers..