[ellery]

I agree that the ideal situation is not full-time daycare. That said, a full-time, stay-at-home mom is not the only good option (e.g., dad might enjoy staying at home while mom works, both parents might take part-time jobs, extended families might be involved with part-time child care). The key is that each family works out what's best for them...isn't individualism-with-responsibility a core conservative value?

[olivia3boys]

Yes--but one problem is that stay-at-home-dads and good part-time jobs are quite rare (the best way to get a good-paying one is to start at full-time and negotiate down to P/T later). Also, working two shifts (like when one parent works the graveyard shift) is apparently really hard on marriages. And I think parents need to be careful when they decide on a solution that is supposedly "best for the family" when it might not actually be best for the children too. Not that the kids should always come first necessarily, but you know what I mean.

[wardaddy]

Babies and small children need a good mommy at home during the day more than a good daddy. I for one would never allow myself to be dependent on a woman...unless she was an heiress perhaps and we could both hang out parenting and whatnot in our south of France chateau digs courtesy of her grandaddy's hard work.