I have taught on the university level for 25 years (just retired, yea!). My two daughters are 28 and 24, both happy, married professionals, one with a daughter of her own. Mr. Adler and I were so fortunate to have genuine living saints as caretakers of our daughters both in infant/toddler care and in Montessori school after that. I was always home for the summers, and Mr. Adler spent loads of time with the girls. Neither of us was in a "high-pressured" career so we were able to be somewhat flexible for meeting kids' needs between our two jobs and home responsiblities.
Even so, today, I would strongly consider having three or four kids (had my tubes tied after number two and rather regret not having more) somewhat closely spaced and homeschool. The schools in our town were okay when our girls attended, but they grow worse as time goes on. Today, I would do things differently if Mr. Adler and I could possibly swing it.
I stayed home with my older girl for a year or so, and yes, I was bored out of my skull and very isolated, a big reason I went back to teaching. However, today, there are the internet and cable television, so the isolation I experienced would not be nearly the problem it was in the late 70s. And for me homeschooling would be very, very interesting (in those days, I don't think anyone was doing it; certainly I was not aware of it as even an option).