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I was home from birth to age 2, it was fine, but honestly, I see the value now in being home when my son is in school (and by school I mean preschool or kindergarten).

The school day is short and I would like to be involved in the school, the classroom, know the teacher, etc. I don't want to hover, but I can tell already that my son isn't going to be like I was, rushing home to go to my room to do my homework, so it's important to me that he has time to come home, decompress and still have quiet time before the chaos of dinner and bedtime.

We picked our house so that I wouldn't be putting my son on the bus or dealing with the drop off line, but I am still undecided on how we'll actually get him there when the time comes.

I used to think staying home the early years was best, as that is what my mom did with us. Now I feel like there is value to both and I see many of my mom friends with older children struggling to be involved in school activities, etc with their work schedules. My SIL just started staying home and her boys are 11/14 because she feels they really need her to be there when they get home, and for all the million activities they have going on.

I hope to have the ability to work part time throughout their childhoods, but if I had to choose, I guess I would say being at home more during the 5-10 or 10-15 age.

0-5, though I will likely go back to work before 5. I had a bad experience at daycare when I was a child and it is important to me (albeit paranoid) that he not be in daycare until he can articulate himself. I also feel like he is changing so much at this age. I love being there for all of his milestones.

My husband WAH so he will be able to handle school drop off/pick up, breakfast, and any parent involvement at school.

Since I've done both and am doing both, I would pick the school age. I see a lot of benefit of me being home, encouraging homework and volunteering and supporting at every opportunity presented. On the bonus side, you get more time to yourself to get things done and if you're going with public education, it's not financially draining.

My perspective is slightly different because my career is a teacher so I my schedule will mirror theirs. That being said, I think it's important to be at home 0-5 more so than 5 and beyond.

For me, the first two years are the most important, because I have worked in the infant/toddler classrooms, and as much as I love little kids and love teaching, the constant chaos made me miserable. Not to say that kids are being harmed in these classrooms, I think they adapt well fairly quickly, but I don't believe that the social aspect is important until 2 and a half, and I would prefer that my children spend more time at home until that age. The constant sickness that I hear happens with a lot of little ones in daycare is also a pretty big factor to me. Also, bedtime is so early now, so if I was leaving him in daycare all day it would mean so little time together, whereas when he is older a later bedtime would allow us more family time on a daily basis.

That said, I hope to only work part time during the school age years. It is important to me to be involved in the school and to be there after school as well.