Yes! Especially from birth until school age. I believe that not only does the child benifit from this, the parents do also. This is your oppourtunity to instill the morals and values you want your children to have. If your child is in daycare from 8-5 when do you influence your children? Between dinner, housework and just everyday life those 3 hours a day before the kids have to go to bed are just not enough. The majority of what the kids are learning is from daycare, and you have to ask yourself, does the daycare provider really care about molding and shaping your child into the person YOU want them to become or are they just making a buck and making sure they are not hurt. There is no substitution for you. They payoff you feel in your heart is worth every dollar "lost" by not working.

I think it is better if both parents spent some time to stay home to raise their children besides working. I mean, everything has to be balanced as in the children get to spend time with both parents and vice versa. Besides, some people feel the need to work and the childen do need some independant time, not 24 hours surveilance.

Yes, yes I do. If that doesn't seem possible, then the father could stay home. If that doesn't seem possible, then connections with the family and community could be vital to the children's longer term successes. Please carefully consider your options. I have 12 (twelve!) grandchildren. Several are being raised by strangers, and I am convinced it will make a less than positive difference to them in the long run. Just my experience, yours could be different.

If she can. Or, the dad could stay home, or the child could stay with grandparents or other relatives. There are so many variables depending on the situation. But YES, I do think it's better for the child to be with a parent during the formative years and it would be nice if we had a society that valued family over money.

My personal opinion is yes, but unfortunately in todays day and age financially it's not possible for a lot of families. My mother stayed home with my brothers and I until my younger started school and then she went back to work. I have fond memories of those years.

It's a personal decision, but really if the family can afford it than I'd rather have a parent at home, if it's the mom (which makes sense because men tend to earn more and work longer hours) than thats fine.

Depends on the situation for the family

Mothers should do what the family needs her to do to meet financial means OR she should do what SHE wants to do and what will make her the happiest. A happy mom = happy children.

when i was young my mother always worked but made sure she came home on time to meet us at the bus stop. We were never short on money and my mom wasn't tired of being with us, as it seems many mothers these days are. So in short i think that the mothers should work too instead of the father carrying all the burden.

It is a personal choice and sometimes it is non-choice. You do what you have to when you are a parent. If it means staying home with the kids, do it. If it means going to work to help financially, do it.

Some mothers aren't really good at staying home. They should work, and pay a competent nanny for the children. It is important to provide a home setting for them, whether this is the mother or a trained person really isn't as important. Children of working mothers know that their mother loves them, and they also benefit from having a good home care environment. If a mother stays home with her children because she wants to and can afford to that is best for that family.

I think they should stay at home for children are the future and need proper rearing.

I think they should decide what is best for their family. It's different for each person. I would like to stay home personally.

I'm a little divided on this one. On the one hand, an actual biological parent (dad or mom) home with the kids, instead of a babysitter, is ideal. On the other hand, if the kid goes without important stuff like extracurricular activities because only one parent works, that can cause development issues just as much as being raised largely by day care centers and babysitters. I find extracurricular activities to be important because schools are crippled with the Bush Administration's "No Child Allowed To Get Ahead" program. Music, art and sports are all important, and to deprive children of these activities is to think more about their present and concern oneself less about their future. These activities can be inexpensive but they will still fall into the "extra" category in any household budget, and as such the family's income will decide whether or not the child gets the activities. EDIT: It does occur to me that I lump "taking the kids to the museum/zoo with ice cream afterwards" in with "extracurricular activities", in case there was any confusion. Extracurricular activities need not exclude the parent.

I personally am in favor of mothers staying home with the kids. I realize this is not always possible, but I strongly prefer it and have always worked with that ideal in mind. By that I mean that I have tried to become someone who's skills enabled an income which made that possible. I think far too many men are becoming lazy and indolent about their educations. How can we support anybody, financially, or otherwise, if we live our lives selfishly? Of course, there are always difficult circumstances and hard times, but I think that the problem of perpetual immaturity is currently a major contributor to the problem of mothers being "forced" to work outside the home. (Not to mention divorce, child abuse, and spousal abuse.)

The mother could send her kids to these sweatshops for extra income.

I personally work at home doing administrative work for a friend's company. I love it, but I agree it is not for everyone. Each person should evaluate the pros and cons and consider that they will be at home more than usual and need to make sure that they can find ways during the week to step out into the world and be an adult instead of just a mom. Don't get me wrong, I love staying at home with my daughter and am lucky to find a stable stay at home income, but I had to make sure I would have outside of the house time.

WELL AS FOR SINGLE MOTHERS LIKE, REALLY AINT GOT NO CHOICE.. YEAH THAR SUCKS..

I believe if you have children and you are well able to stay home and raise and care for them yourself, then you should do so, within reason - like maybe just have a casual job for interest sake.

a part time job will be very helpful if the father is earning minimum wages.

I believe they should do whatever is best for their family. Since I don't know them personally nor do I know what their circumstances are, I can't decide what is best.

I think that the husband and wife should come to a decision that works for their family and finances. Some people with more traditional or conservative opinions will feel strongly about the Mom staying at home, while others will feel that the Mom has a right to develop her own career or interests should she want to. What ever each family is comfortable with and can afford is what they should do. That being said, I do not think a wife should be a SAHM, if her husband is unable to support the family financially. Financial aid was designed to help those unfortunate people who are UNABLE to support themselves, not UNWILLING to do so.

I would have loved to have had the option to stay home with my child. I was able to until he was three. I did accounting work in the house while he was young and earned extra money for the household that way. My then-husband said I'd have to go back to work because of our financial situation..that about broke my heart. But you do what you have to do. I think if a mom can afford to stay home and wants to stay home, she should and savor every moment of every day because that is a treasure that won't last forever. I never wanted a career, but I ended up with a pretty good one anyway. I had no choice..if you have a choice, lucky you! :)

Sometimes mothers with young children are forced to go to work because they do not have enough resources to sustain their family, but if they could stay home with their children, it would be a lot better for the upbringing of their children.

That's not for me to say, that is a personal choice that should be made by the family. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my children for their first 2 years. But I went back to work to better the family. I am always happy that I had that time with my children :O)

i think . if YOU HAVE THE OPTION, staying home with the kids owuld be great. my mom did and i remember it as such a nice time.

Whether mother or father, one parent should be home with the child. Children model their environment. Who would you prefer you child model, one of you or a stranger?

Depends on the circumstances -- there's really too many variables to try to make a single, blanket statement. Whem my son was born, I was very insistent that we be the ones to raise him, not some daycare center. But since my wife was the major breadwinner at the time, I ended up being the one who stayed home to take care of the baby.

Well, in some cases, like mine, the father ditches responsibility and you have no other choice but to work unless you want to get on welfare, food stamps, etc. and that's not ever something I would do. And even when the parents stay together, sometimes the man can't find a decent job. My sister is a Doctor and her husband is not able to find a job better than her, so he stays home and she works. So, sometimes it just is circumstances. Ideally, it would be nice if every mother could stay home with their children until they're in school full-time. It doesn't always happen like that. I don't think it's good for a woman to stay home even when the kids are in school and clean house all day. If there was to be a divorce or something was to happen to the father, she would have nothing to support herself.

Yes I think that is important in the long run.

I think it's better to stay home with the kids than to not, but even more important is being able to provide food and shelter for your kids.

If they can afford to but of course it isnt always possible.

Yes!Mother knows best of their kids and Mother knows best for their kids!

Its nice to have your mum close to you when you are a child but I don't belive that mothers should dedicate their lifes to their children, I am 20 and my sister is 16 and my mum is so scared now that my sisters will go to study because she actually have nothing else to do except from taking her of my sisters. It's nice to stay at home until the kids are 5-6 and when they kids will go to school they should go back to work too.

Thats entirely on the individual sometimes its the fathers who prefer to stay with the kids...

i dont think so bc then it gives the female children the thought that they have to be stay at home mothers. yes it is nicer if the mother is able to, no daycare so you get to save money. i hope that im able to stay home with my children until they reach school age but if my husband cant keep us up then i would gladly work. i get bored if i dont work.

if at all possible, yes. i stayed at home for 15 yrs raising our children and each of them has thanked me for it. we struggled financially, drove older cars and shopped at thrift stores but the children were well-looked after and it was worth it. i've heard again and again, "well it's nice you could afford it, we can't!" as if my husband was rich enough to support us on his salary. he has always been a blue collar worker on a modest income. can you afford to stay home with your children? ask yourself: how much do you spend on transportation to and from your job? how much do you spend on daily meals away from home? how much do you spend on work-related clothing or other incidentals? and how much do you pay someone else to care for your child(ren)? my daughter worked in two different daycares, one in a private home, the other a church-run facility and she was appalled at how the children were seen as mere money-generating entities! she has a terrific job with excellent benefits but she has already stated she will never leave her child in a daycare. even the best daycare is still second-best to Mommy.

I don't think so. Up until a certain age I think it's fine, but if a mother (or father) chooses to do that, they need to make up for what may be lacking if they choose to stay at home with their child (ex: socalizing with kids their age). And honestly, once the child hits about 6 and they start going to school, I don't think being a stay at mom has any real importance if theres no child to take care of.

If the mother, or father, is able to stay home and that is what's best for the family, then yes.

I mean...if your husband is making enough money to support you and your children then it is good that you stay at home. But, in my eyes, i believe a woman shouldn't rely on her husband financially. I like having my own money. And yes i would be able to afford to pay someone to care for my child, I'm working and so is my boyfriend (i have no kids yet) But then again if my husband would want me to stay at home with the children i would do it until they are all in school, get a part time job, because i can't just stay home all day long...alone..ugh. i guess it can go either way, some people dont have enough money to live on and pay some one to care for their child so it's really not worth working

If the man in the house is able to keep the family fed and in a nice home, with heat, working alone, then sure, the mother can stay home with her children. But they way the economy is today, and how much things cost to live day to day, the mother will not be able to stay home with her children.

If they want to, sure. Just know that kids tend to bond with their primary caregiver.

NO they shouldn't because if she is a single parent some1 has to bring in the income, and sometimes its better for the child to go out and be around different babies because that child becomes well rounded as far as being around other babies and learns how to share especially if they are the only child.

If at all possible, I think it best for the child to have one parent home with him/her until school age. I know that is a very difficult thing to do in this day and age, but that is my opinion.

Absolutely! Let the welfare checks roll in!

I don't think all mothers should be stay at home moms and as far as the let the welfare checks roll in that doesn't do anything but make some mother lazy.... I am currently umemployed and i have a 2yr old daughter and she is in daycare. Her vocabulary is clear, she can count, is starting to read and goes on trips. I miss her when she isn't home but it's whats best for her. p.s. she just started day care in October, and she just turned two. Up until then I to was a stay at home mom and it's cool to see her first steps and words and her crawling but in reality we need money to survive.

I think it's beneficial for at least one parent to be available for the child from birth to preschool, which is why I believe our society should be more supportive of parents who have young children. We are encouraged to marry and have children, but as soon as those children are born there are very few support systems in place in communities to help new parents and parents of young children.

I have 3 children and have been a stay at home mom most of their lives. My mom was a stay at home mom even when my dad died. I just automaticly thought that that was the way that it was suppose to be, but my husband decided that he wanted to go to college and that meant that I had to go back to work. We tried to juggle the babies between us, but it eventually got to be too much and we had to put them into daycare. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do as a parent. Finding daycare was a NIGHTMARE!!! I live in a big city and searched long and hard before I chose one only to find out when the van broke down and I had to go back to the daycare unexpectedly that it was aweful! The second one was better, but just wasn't me, so I am now back home with my children and raising them in the safety of our own home. I am not saying that finding good childcare is impossible, but it takes a LOT of work and dedication. If at all possible I think that a parent or close trusted family member should always be with the children.

It really depends on the atmosphere at home. If there is lot of fighting (especially about lack of money), or if the mother isn't very skilled at child rearing, the child is better off in a day care.

Jeeeeez... try to make us working mums feel bad why dontya??? I spent many many years in higher education in order to have a career in one of the professions .. I have reached a very high level in my chosen profession. I also have a child who is the most important element in my life. Despite that, I work. He has been in childcare since he was a baby ... and he is extremely intelligent sociable,popular, well-adjusted and happy and we have a wonderful family life. I don't think the fact that I was not a stay at home mother has adversely affected him in the slightest. In fact he is proud of me! The opinions expressed by some of the posters here would set female equality back 50 years. Don't you want your daughters to have the same opportunities as their male counterparts? Or do you want them to be like 1950's housewives and then when they are old turn round and bleat to their children "You never visit you never phone yadda yadda" because they feel they are OWED somehow for having sacrificed so much to stay at home and raise their child? Good grief ... deep breathing required ....***** and yes ,women who sty at home through CHOICE and accept welfare payments when they could be working make me sick because it is my taxes that pay for them.