I didn’t go to work until my daughter, who was the youngest of my children went to Kinder Garden, and then it was part time in the morning while she was in Kinder Garden and her two older brothers were in school. I did consider working when my sons were smaller, but I figured the cost of a baby sitter and the transportation or fuel cost, etc wasn’t worth it.
You were likely quite right, but the reason is wrong. The reason ought to have been that the best of the "best" day-care centers, even Montessori or Goddard-type repositories, cannot supervise the child as well as a true nanny, and no nanny can achieve in a child what a determined mom/dad can and ought to.
The best kindergarten is the home, if you want your child to love you through obeying you. You and your husband are very foolish if the decision is based on family income.
From 55 years of direct observation and experience.