NationStates Jolt Archive

i was just wondering what people's opinions on childcare are? do you think it's right for a mother to go out to work and leave their child in the care of a nanny? if so what do you hink is an ok age for the child to be? and is nursery school a good thing?

i was just wondering what people's opinions on childcare are? do you think it's right for a mother to go out to work and leave their child in the care of a nanny? if so what do you hink is an ok age for the child to be? and is nursery school a good thing?

studies show that children given GOOD educational childcare in a safe group setting have advantages in continuing education and in social skills development that last throughout their lives.

My views on the matter involve child labour and infanticide, in the context of promoting them. I think I should keep my views to myself.

I would say when old enough, send them to an educational facility. Somewhere where they can be with other children and learn instead of some nanny who probably thinks your kid is a hassel. You can get them into these programs as soon as they are ptty trained.

studies show that children given GOOD educational childcare in a safe group setting have advantages in continuing education and in social skills development that last throughout their lives.

WTF? First Silver shows up and now Pabs graces the forum with his almighty presence? Wow!

its a necessity in the modern world. one should be very careful when choosing child care for their children

studies show that children given GOOD educational childcare in a safe group setting have advantages in continuing education and in social skills development that last throughout their lives.
Umm, name that study. So far the studies are limited and the only ones so far have shown that when primary cared is provided by a parent during the infant and toddler stages the child has a much lower risk of antisocial behavior. During the preschool ages some social exposure is healthy, but as a compliment to, not as a replacement for a healthy parental relationship.

Why does the thread author only relate to the woman's experience? What about the father?

That said, a parent has the RIGHT to do whatever they want so long as it is not abusive. They have an OBLIGATION to do what is in the best interest of tehir children. It would seem obvious that parenting by proxy is not it whenever financially feasable.

studies show that children given GOOD educational childcare in a safe group setting have advantages in continuing education and in social skills development that last throughout their lives.
and 70% of all statistics are made up

Why does the thread author only relate to the woman's experience? What about the father?


because the author of the thread believes that it's the mother who should stay at home and raise the children whilst the father goes out to work

Maybe, in an ideal world, the mother, or father for that matter, would take time out of work for the first two or three years of the child's life. After that the benefits of social interaction, seriously outweigh the security of the home environment.

The world, however is far from ideal. Many parents have to place the child in day care almost immediately and return to work. As Pablo said, studies show that this actually benefits the child. No mention is made however of the emotional wear on the parents, who inevitably feel that they are farming out their responsibilities.

In poorer communities, the worst ofboth worlds is encountered. The parents have to go back to work, if they ever stopped that is. However day care is too expensive. Here the child tends to be with family members or with members of the community. These are not trained to help stimulate the childs development, nor do they have the same devotion as the parents would have.

Conclusion. If you are in a position to take advantage of good, qualified chioldcare then do so. If this is not possible, then it is better to sacrafice some income to bring up the child. If that is not viable, then you should not have had the child to start with, as you do not have the conditions to give it a chance in life. Give it up for adoption and be more careful in the future.

its a necessity in the modern world. one should be very careful when choosing child care for their children
Why do you consider it a necessity when in fact the number of working mothers is in decline?

Personally I want to be around when my child grows up and I do think it's better for the child to see their parents lots and build a good relationship with them. It's one of their first relationships and it is so essential. So in that way I think childcare is a bad thing. If overused. I can understand the parents wanting a career, needing to work etc and I'm totally fine with that. But ideally I think the parents should bring up the child.

Nursery school... good idea. Starts the child learning, socialising, getting in touch with feelings, teaching them important lessons etc

So far the studies are limited and the only ones so far have shown that when primary cared is provided by a parent during the infant and toddler stages the child has a much lower risk of antisocial behavior. During the preschool ages some social exposure is healthy, but as a compliment to, not as a replacement for a healthy parental relationship.

Why does the thread author only relate to the woman's experience? What about the father?

That said, a parent has the RIGHT to do whatever they want so long as it is not abusive. They have an OBLIGATION to do what is in the best interest of tehir children. It would seem obvious that parenting by proxy is not it whenever financially feasable.

Name your sources as well please. Good pre-school education, which is what Pablo referred to, is never a substitute for a healthy parental relationship. It is a complement to it.
Parents have an OBLIGATION to do the best they can, given the information they have, within the belief structure they have, for their child. Good day care is not parenting by proxy. I went through day care, I thank my parents for it, as it meant that both my parents could work, so we could have holidays, and a car, and books and toys and good food and etc. etc. My son went to day care because he asked to go, and complained when he had to stop because he was to old. He loves school and studying. He is also extrememly sociable, and makes friends easily. I know these are one off cases, but they are what my experience shows me. Kindergarden, Child care etc. have been god experiences in our family.

Oh and by the FairyTInkArisen, I am a father who at the moment is at home bringing up our son and doing graduate study, while my wife co-ordinates a post graduate program in the local university. Five years ago, I was working, while my wife studied and took care of our son.. Gender roles, as you portray them, simply do not fit into the modern world any longer.

Gender roles, as you portray them, simply do not fit into the modern world any longer.

They do if those roles are consensually agreed upon by both parties.

Why do you consider it a necessity when in fact the number of working mothers is in decline?
because "in decline" is not the same as "non existant"

why do you assume that having a child in day care means you arent parenting your child?

Oh and by the FairyTInkArisen, I am a father who at the moment is at home bringing up our son and doing graduate study, while my wife co-ordinates a post graduate program in the local university. Five years ago, I was working, while my wife studied and took care of our son.. Gender roles, as you portray them, simply do not fit into the modern world any longer.
a father can never have the same bond with their child as a mother does, i personally believe it's better for a child to be looked after by the mother (but still obviously spend plenty of time with the father)

a father can never have the same bond with their child as a mother does, i personally believe it's better for a child to be looked after by the mother (but still obviously spend plenty of time with the father)
except for the breastfeeding part id say it depends on the individuals involved. there are some excellent fathers out there today.

except for the breastfeeding part id say it depends on the individuals involved. there are some excellent fathers out there today.
i'm not saying their aren't some great dads out there, i had a wonderful dad who i was very close to, but there's still always gonna be a special bond between mother and child that a father just can't have, a father can never feel a baby growing and moving around inside him, they're never gonna have to give birth to a child or breastfeed them

time for superbowl party, bummer. I don't even like football.

Back later. After that one team beats the others.

Gooo , ummm those guys!


oh, and fairytik - you're on drugs

time for superbowl party, bummer. I don't even like football.

Back later. After that one team beats the others.

Gooo , ummm those guys!


oh, and fairytik - you're on drugs
i am?

i was just wondering what people's opinions on childcare are? do you think it's right for a mother to go out to work and leave their child in the care of a nanny? if so what do you hink is an ok age for the child to be? and is nursery school a good thing?

Mother? I think you could and should substitute either or both parents in there...

And I'll fill in what my partner and I would like to do when we have kids. Hopefully we'll be at the stage when we can work part-time for a while and have time to care for our children, at least for the first couple of years.

However I fully understand that some people can't afford to do that, and need childcare, which I think should be government subsidised and regulated.

Mother? I think you could and should substitute either or both parents in there...

And I'll fill in what my partner and I would like to do when we have kids. Hopefully we'll be at the stage when we can work part-time for a while and have time to care for our children, at least for the first couple of years.

However I fully understand that some people can't afford to do that, and need childcare, which I think should be government subsidised and regulated.
i've already explained why i said mother

i've already explained why i said mother
Yeah, I missed that.

But I still disagree.

Yeah, I missed that.

But I still disagree.
why?

I think that both parents have the potential for an equal bond with their child, and I think that children benefit from being cared for by both parents. I know lots of disinterested mothers and more attentive fathers. The opposite can also be true. I agree with Alien Born about gender roles defining how many people view parenting and which parent should be doing what...

As long as a child is loved, basically. In fact, in my future it's more likely that my partner (I'm a woman btw) will stay home and look after the children if needs be.

Mothers and fathers both have important, but different, roles in child care.

My mother stayed home with my sister and I until I was in grade six. It was a choice our family (well, my mom and dad) made to give up the income for us. I asked her why, and she said that it gave us more security. She also said that children in daycares often have higher aggression levels.

Name your sources as well please. Good pre-school education, which is what Pablo referred to, is never a substitute for a healthy parental relationship. It is a complement to it.
Parents have an OBLIGATION to do the best they can, given the information they have, within the belief structure they have, for their child. Good day care is not parenting by proxy. I went through day care, I thank my parents for it, as it meant that both my parents could work, so we could have holidays, and a car, and books and toys and good food and etc. etc. My son went to day care because he asked to go, and complained when he had to stop because he was to old. He loves school and studying. He is also extrememly sociable, and makes friends easily. I know these are one off cases, but they are what my experience shows me. Kindergarden, Child care etc. have been god experiences in our family.

Oh and by the FairyTInkArisen, I am a father who at the moment is at home bringing up our son and doing graduate study, while my wife co-ordinates a post graduate program in the local university. Five years ago, I was working, while my wife studied and took care of our son.. Gender roles, as you portray them, simply do not fit into the modern world any longer.

Sorry, not much time. Here;

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/31/health/main327633.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/08/07/48hours/main222434.shtml


There, I've shown you mine, now you show me yours.


I gotta go. Daycare for young children (excluding toddlers and infants) is not parenting by proxy unless the child spends more waking hours with the daycare than the parent does. Infants and toddlers have greater needs otherwise they can experience abandonment symptoms. If you are unfamiliar with that there is plenty research online which shows infants without a physical and emotional bond with an adult have a much higher mortality rate... I have no time to do that search. C-Ya.

Depends really. Nowadays it's a necessity if you don't make enough though. :(

the mother should stay home with the child until they can take care of themselves, or at least have cameras so they can keep eye out on naanny , yes it is big brother-ism, though the child is your future..

the mother should stay home with the child until they can take care of themselves, or at least have cameras so they can keep eye out on naanny , yes it is big brother-ism, though the child is your future..
i agree with that except i don't think under any circumstances you should have a nanny!

i'm not saying their aren't some great dads out there, i had a wonderful dad who i was very close to, but there's still always gonna be a special bond between mother and child that a father just can't have, a father can never feel a baby growing and moving around inside him, they're never gonna have to give birth to a child or breastfeed them
and yet I had a stronger bond with my faughter then my mother even though my mom was the one that stayed home with us most of the time (changed to a part time in her nursing career and moved to nights so she could watch us) she was and is a great mother but this "bond" you speek of does not seem to be there

i agree with that except i don't think under any circumstances you should have a nanny!
Why not? I mean I loved my "nanny" at the times when schedules did not line up we had someone who watched us during the days ... in fact my parents loved her so much that we got taken there even though it was a 20 min drive in the wrong way from where my dad worked

a father can never have the same bond with their child as a mother does, i personally believe it's better for a child to be looked after by the mother (but still obviously spend plenty of time with the father)
hehe, mommy-boys. :p

I wanna baby-sit. :(

Why not? I mean I loved my "nanny" at the times when schedules did not line up we had someone who watched us during the days ... in fact my parents loved her so much that we got taken there even though it was a 20 min drive in the wrong way from where my dad worked
what's the point in having kids if you're not gonna spend time bringing them up?! when you have a child it is your responsibility to look after them. i just think it's wrong to pay a stranger to bring up your children. the only reason i agree with nursery school is because it helps the child's development and helps them to learn how to make friends before primary school.

what's the point in having kids if you're not gonna spend time bringing them up?! when you have a child it is your responsibility to look after them. i just think it's wrong to pay a stranger to bring up your children. the only reason i agree with nursery school is because it helps the child's development and helps them to learn how to make friends before primary school.


You seem to equate day care with raising or bringing up a child, which as the mother of two kids, I find a little strange. Raising children happens 24/7. Did your parents stop caring for you when you started school? Of course not!

And for cripes sake, dads can be just as loving, nurturing and mothers, and some even more so! No, they can’t breastfeed, but so what? That’s not the only way you nurture a baby!!! What a silly thing to think! Sure, we’ve been socially conditioned to think that, but frankly we’ve been socially conditioned to believe a lot of crap that doesn’t really hold true when it comes right down to actual practice.

I’ve been blessed to have found a child care facility that I love, my kids love, and works for my situation. Fundamentally, my family arrangement works for me, and my kids, imho, are smart, funny, well behaved and kind, so I’m not sure why other people would be so threatened by how I’ve elected to parent them.

what's the point in having kids if you're not gonna spend time bringing them up?! when you have a child it is your responsibility to look after them. i just think it's wrong to pay a stranger to bring up your children. the only reason i agree with nursery school is because it helps the child's development and helps them to learn how to make friends before primary school.
I think it is BETTER for the kids but sometimes once or at tops twice a week my mom had to work just to keep her job ... so that she could be a good parent and made sure we had food on the table (as well as my fauther working like mad to pay for the house ... cars ... doctors ... our cloths that sort of thing)

NEVER have a nanny is pretty harsh though I deffinatly think they should be last resort but NEVER?

what's the point in having kids if you're not gonna spend time bringing them up?! when you have a child it is your responsibility to look after them. i just think it's wrong to pay a stranger to bring up your children. the only reason i agree with nursery school is because it helps the child's development and helps them to learn how to make friends before primary school.



What if both parents have to work? Most households require 2 incomes now. Both my kids have been in daycare since they were 8 weeks old. My 6 year old is more advanced than most of her classmates both socially and intellectually. I'd LOVE to be able to stay home with my children, but in order to meet all of their needs, healthcare expenses, a nice place to live, etc.....both of us have to work. Neither of my kids have suffered from being in a daycare environment.

a father can never have the same bond with their child as a mother does, i personally believe it's better for a child to be looked after by the mother (but still obviously spend plenty of time with the father)

A question. Are you a mother?
I am a father, and I have a very special bond with my son. You provide no reasoning behind your assertion that the mother-child bond is better than the father-child bond. You also give no reason why the mother should be at home with the child even if this is the case, rather than the father. You are simply reflecting an outdated set of social values, that originated when labour was pretty much that, labour, physical, dangerous etc. to which men were better adapted physically than women. The world has changed slightly since the early days of agricultural society, these physical diferences no longer need to determine our social stuctures.

i was just wondering what people's opinions on childcare are? do you think it's right for a mother to go out to work and leave their child in the care of a nanny? if so what do you hink is an ok age for the child to be? and is nursery school a good thing?
I don't know what a nursery school is. But yes. Childdaycare, kindergarten whatever you call it is a good thing. And a good age is 3 to 4 years.

i am?
Yes, you are. For this:

a father can never have the same bond with their child as a mother does, i personally believe it's better for a child to be looked after by the mother (but still obviously spend plenty of time with the father)

There is no evidence to back your assertion. From first hand experience I can tell you a child bonds with whomever they spend the most time with and with whomever provides the most nurturing.

there are some excellent fathers out there today

There have been great fathers around for millenia, including my own. This is not a recent development.

I think that both parents have the potential for an equal bond with their child, and I think that children benefit from being cared for by both parents. I know lots of disinterested mothers and more attentive fathers. The opposite can also be true. I agree with Alien Born about gender roles defining how many people view parenting and which parent should be doing what...

As long as a child is loved, basically. In fact, in my future it's more likely that my partner (I'm a woman btw) will stay home and look after the children if needs be.
That sounds good to me, but can we just skip the part about having kids?

:)

I think we should all just shut up and listen to the parents here. :p

That sounds good to me, but can we just skip the part about having kids?
*shifty*

What if both parents have to work? Most households require 2 incomes now. Both my kids have been in daycare since they were 8 weeks old. My 6 year old is more advanced than most of her classmates both socially and intellectually. I'd LOVE to be able to stay home with my children, but in order to meet all of their needs, healthcare expenses, a nice place to live, etc.....both of us have to work. Neither of my kids have suffered from being in a daycare environment.
You may not be among the number, but a considerable number of people who think they must be two income households indeed do not require a second income. they get new cars, large houses, take costly vacations, eat out too often, etc.

Many two income households, when they compare what money they'd save as a single income household, find that they are barely doing better than breaking even once all is accounted for. (additional gas, savings from home cooking and coupon and bargain shopping, tax savings, DAYCARE costs, work uniforms/clothes, etc.) It is often amazing if you sit and work the numbers.

Consider how much of your paycheck actually goes to all of these things and then consider what your net profit after all of that is and then decide if it is really worth the emotional cost to you and your children and the documented risks.

Once your children are six years old (actually much sooner) exposure to school is a good idea. Farming out their infant years to a free agent while you work full time, leaving them in the hands of strangers for more of their waking day than spent with you is nothing short of a last resort IMHO.

After that the benefits of social interaction, seriously outweigh the security of the home environment.

Are you assuming that the home environment is an isolated one? There are many opportunities for children to have social interaction with same aged and near aged peers when a parent is "home" and the primary caregiver.

Are you assuming that the home environment is an isolated one? There are many opportunities for children to have social interaction with same aged and near aged peers when a parent is "home" and the primary caregiver.

No, I am assuming that the home environment is largely homogenous. I.E. people of the same basic religious views, same culture, same preferences in activities etc. The day care environment normally exposes the child to a more heterogenerous sample of humanity. This can only be good for the child in a multicultural world.
The availability of interaction with their peer group whilst being cared for at home will vary dramatically from one case to another. It can not be generalised. The opportunity for interaction in day care can be generalised as being available.

Of course, one of the major influences on my thinking on this is the situation that our family was in. This is a little outside of the norm as when our son was one year old we moved half way across the world, to a region where we did not know anyone, and to a city that was particularly closed to outsiders. (We have since moved on to a more welcoming city) Under those circumstances, my son being cared for at home would have led to his being isolated from the community as we, as a family were personas non gratas. However, in the creche he learnt the language of the new country and made friends. Much better for him.

You may not be among the number, but a considerable number of people who think they must be two income households indeed do not require a second income. they get new cars, large houses, take costly vacations, eat out too often, etc.

Many two income households, when they compare what money they'd save as a single income household, find that they are barely doing better than breaking even once all is accounted for. (additional gas, savings from home cooking and coupon and bargain shopping, tax savings, DAYCARE costs, work uniforms/clothes, etc.) It is often amazing if you sit and work the numbers.

Consider how much of your paycheck actually goes to all of these things and then consider what your net profit after all of that is and then decide if it is really worth the emotional cost to you and your children and the documented risks.

Once your children are six years old (actually much sooner) exposure to school is a good idea. Farming out their infant years to a free agent while you work full time, leaving them in the hands of strangers for more of their waking day than spent with you is nothing short of a last resort IMHO.

First of all, are you a parent?
2nd- We do not live the life of luxury. I have a small, neat house in a good neighborhood. We both drive used cars , which happen to be paid for. I use coupons and I love to cook, so eating out is a rarity. And last vacation I had was when I was 16 and went to Daytona Beach with my dad. So while you may be correct that some people chose to have 2 incomes so that they may live on a golf course and drive a Mercedes.....I do not. As I stated before....my household requires both parents work. If we lived on one income, sure we might make it by the skin of our teeth. There would be no money to contribute to my children's college funds or our retirement. Healthcare costs alone would kill us just in co-pays and prescriptions. One we have is $150 a month and thats WITH insurance covering the partial cost.
Many household have the same or similar situations.
And as for ''farming out the children/infants.....let me reiterate ......my 6 year old has been in a daycare environment since she was 8 weeks old. She is ahead of most of the children in her class intellectually as well as socially. We spend each night reading, talking about our day and just being a family. Its not 1950. The Cleaver family doesnt exist anymore. To suggest that everychild who attend daycare somehow results in an "emotioanl cost" of the children is just untrue. I have seen a lot of children who were at home 24 hours 7 days a week with mom or dad.....and they are so dependent on the parents that they dare not even step more than 4 feet away from them. In a proper, well managed child care facility, children learn to be independent and think for themselves, they build confidence, develope well needed social skills. Please do not criticize parents for putting their children in childcare. Especially if you arent a parent yourself.

And to call day care providers “free agents,” as if they’re working on an assembly line? You make it sound like the people who work at these places are strangers who don’t care about children! The teachers at my son’s daycare have degrees in early childhood education and development; they are creative, energetic, intelligent, talented and caring people who work for far less than they deserve to receive as a salary. They work in consort with the parents to provide a safe, loving, interesting place where our kids can play and learn. Do my kids love them more than me? Nope.

I love the diversity of friends that daycare has provided my children. My friends don’t have children, and most of the people in my neighborhood work during the day, so I don’t have a built in network of peers for them. My kids go to day care with kids from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds, kids with a variety of developmental and physical disabilities, and they learn to treat each other with care and respect and see each other for the kids that they are. The older kids learn to help the little ones, and the little ones learn skills from and respect the ‘big kids.’

My daughter was in day care at 8 weeks old. My son started day care when he was 6 months old (I had been laid off and was unemployed prior to his birth). I’m not sure what your metrics are for gauging emotional health but as I stated earlier, my kids are kind, smart, funny, caring and well-behaved. They are voracious readers, thanks to the reading I do with them, and the teachers that read to them at school/daycare. They are interested in so many things, thanks to the things I do with them, and what they do at school/daycare. The claim that day care is the equivalent of “farming out” your parenting completely absurd. Day care doesn’t replace my parenting, it complements it.

Parenting is a difficult job, and it never ceases to amaze me how willing people are to beat up each other over how to do the best job of it. It seems as though it would be more productive for us to be supportive of each other’s efforts, rather than judgmental. No one should have to provide financial justification for having their children in day care, or apologize for working outside the home. That's nobody's business. I don’t bash people who elect to stay at home with their kids, I’m not sure why they feel that what is working well for my family is a threat to them.

They do if those roles are consensually agreed upon by both parties.
Or if those roles are simply stepped into without analysis or even realisation that they are gendered...

Not everyone realises they are living a stereotype.

a father can never have the same bond with their child as a mother does, i personally believe it's better for a child to be looked after by the mother (but still obviously spend plenty of time with the father)
No, traditional gender roles say a father can never have the same bond with their child. Modern reality has shown us that is not true. It depends on the person...women are not 'biologically' better suited to parent. It's a learning process for whatever gender.

No, traditional gender roles say a father can never have the same bond with their child. Modern reality has shown us that is not true. It depends on the person...women are not 'biologically' better suited to parent. It's a learning process for whatever gender.

Thank you, I am relieved to know I am not the only one with this opinion.

i'm not saying their aren't some great dads out there, i had a wonderful dad who i was very close to, but there's still always gonna be a special bond between mother and child that a father just can't have, a father can never feel a baby growing and moving around inside him, they're never gonna have to give birth to a child or breastfeed them
Does that apply when the mother is out of the picture? Plenty of women don't breastfeed anymore (which is a shame). Does that mean they don't bond with their kids? Are dads emotionally cut off because they can't breastfeed? What about women who adopt...they didn't bear that child or feel it moving around...do they not bond with it anyway.

Gender stereotypes...not facts, make up your argument.

There is nothing wrong with having a nanny, or putting your child in daycare, if the setting is suitable and nurturing. In this modern world, we need to work and earn a living unless you're rolling in dough, or your partner has a good job. It's more of a necessity than a luxury to send your child to daycare.

I'm going to give you a little insight into why I have my kids in daycare (apart from the obvious financial ones). I have been on Maternity leave twice, each time for the birth of one of my daughters. That's a year off, partially paid, to take care of my kids. It meant no breaks, no time off, hours and hours with my children, alone. We all got really, really bored. There is only so much playdo you can mould, puppets you can play, stories you can read and silliness you can engage in before you get tired of doing all that with the same, old person (me). Then, my husband comes home, and I had my second shift of meal-cooking, cleaning, AND further child entertaining. I was a drained, bored, and boring woman.

Does that make me a bad mother? Please. Do you remember your mom running around with you and keeping you entertained all day? She was probably too busy keeping up with chores.

When I went back to work, it was terrible leaving them in a dayhome. (Dayhomes are different than daycares...there are a maximum of five children being cared for in a person's home.) I felt like I was abandoning them and was sure they would wail and scream and not let me leave. The first day was like that, and I was absolutely neurotic at work that day. I swore I would yank them, quit my job and stay home. Then I talked myself into trying another day. To my chagrin, my daughters didn't cry the next day... in fact, they rather absently allowed me to kiss them before they tore off with the other kids to go play.

When I get home from work, no matter how tired I am, I play with my kids. I have way more energy than I did when I stayed home all day with them, and they seem to as well. They've played their hearts out all day, and they're happy to see a fresh face. I spend every moment until bedtime with them and I feel closer to them now than I did when they were always around me. Every day I can hardly wait to go pick them up. Those girls haven't spent a single night away from me yet. For my sanity, and for a better appreciation of what my kids mean to me, this dayhome has been wonderful. For their enjoyment, and social interaction, it's been great. They are less cranky, and get more one on one attention from me now than they did when I was at home all day. It's been nothing but positive for our family.

what's the point in having kids if you're not gonna spend time bringing them up?! when you have a child it is your responsibility to look after them. i just think it's wrong to pay a stranger to bring up your children. the only reason i agree with nursery school is because it helps the child's development and helps them to learn how to make friends before primary school.
Where are you getting the idea that daycare means you're not raising your kids? My kids are in the dayhome for 7 hours, and with me for 7. I am with them every weekend, every holiday, every summer (I'm a teacher). I do a crazy amount of activities with my kids...and I honestly believe I do more with them now that I'm working than I did when I was home, again, because I have more energy. Their babysitter is not raising them, my husband and I are raising them.

Are you assuming that the home environment is an isolated one? There are many opportunities for children to have social interaction with same aged and near aged peers when a parent is "home" and the primary caregiver.
Depends on where you live. In rural areas, it's a lot harder to get that social interaction. Kids don't live just a few feet away from your house. My kids and I were pretty isolated, especially in the winter when driving wasn't a great idea.