Texas is like a Whole Other Country: Hooters
 

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa080724_mo_escape.8a4682a4.html

Day care centers aren't good. Earlier this week a little kid died when daycare workers left him in a car in the awful Dallas heat. Would you ever put your child in day care?

1) It's a state law that all boys have to go to Hooters before age four so they know where the nearest one is.

2) We had our first son in day care for about six months; during that six months he was constantly sick. We then got a nanny to come to the house and all his sickness issues went away. It cost us double, but it was worth it. Then, after the second boy was born, my wife became a stay-at-home. No more nannies.

For us it wasn't even considered. Once the first one popped out my wife put her career aspirations on hold to become a SAHM. I'm sure there are good day care centers out there but we were just more comfortable with her controlling what they did all day. And to POS's point, the constant sickness thing is a problem. Many, I won't say "most" but it probably is, parents just pump their sick kids up with Motrin to get their fever down and send them to daycare. The same problem continues once they enter elementary school, too.

I'm glad that she was willing to make that sacrifice, OTOH four kids later I'm eagerly awaiting the point where the youngest one starts school full time so she can pick up teaching again (actually she'd like to start off as a Special Ed para-professional then gradually transition to FT teacher). I'm lucky enough to have the flexibility to take off for a sick day if she isn't able to. What will end up being 14 years on living off one income does come with a lot of sacrifices, especially if you like lots of toys.:)

I think kids do well to have their mothers taking care of them when they're very young. My kids all had that advantage. I'm not a fan of daycare if it can be avoided.

My wife and I didn't want anyone else raising our kids, so daycare was out of the question. I've been trying to get a business off the ground while being a stay at home dad.

The kids take WAY more effort than I originally thought, so the business aspirations are CRAWLING. I also wasn't expecting the benefits I've gained like enhancing my patience and my ability to take the time to explain things. I just hope I don't become one of those people that talks to everyone like they're a child.:D

I don't know how you do it! I still haven't gained that patience and time to explain of which you speak. :D

I only said it was "enhanced" not perfected.:D:D

We did the day care thing. Had an at-home nanny for our kid's first eight months in the world and then did day care. Not so much as a sneeze until the baby set foot in a day car facility...then she contracted everything she was inoculated for, as well as an ear infection per month!

Good? Bad? Who knows? She's seems immune to everything now, as she never gets sick but apparently is a "carrier"...my wife gets laid up in bed for days upon contact with the kid!

We went though several facilities for a lot of reasons. Every one of them was investigated thoroughly by us, and when a red flag appeared, BOOM! We took our kid and went in search of another one.

Glad those days are over. :rolleyes:

The kid was probably just hungry and looking for some breast milk flavored with a little silicone.

Me too...