From a personal experience I am in two mids about this.. when I was pregnant with DD i decided that I would send DS to day care one day a week. I had a few reasons why i wanted to send him, and one was defiantely for a little bit of a break and a chance to bond with DD with some one on one time. But also the fact that DS (2 years old at the time) had honestly never left my side for any long period of time and I was a bit worried that when school time came he would be spending too much time and energy adjusting to not being with me that he would miss out on learning if that makes sense. And i was right, it did take some adjustment for him. It didnt help that he didnt seem to like one of his carers, because there was a noticable difference in his attitude to going to day care when they teachers did a rotation and he no longer had a certain teacher.

So it took some time for him to adjust, and i really did enjoy Mondays, i could make appts to do things knowing that i would only have a sleeping baby not a toddler to chase, I got lots of house cleaning done, time with DD and even some time to myself!!!!!

BUT... the social interaction thing.. well.... my experience was that the only social interaction stuff he learned was learning bad attitude and behaviours from the other kids.. he started doing this spitting thing and actually stopped talking, instead making this weird noise and being right in my face. It wasnt until i went to pick him up one day and i met the culpret. A child who was running arounf the room spitting raspberries and making this weird noise that my DS has started making in the last week. (Now it could have gone either way, my son could have started it, but i dont think so as he never did it before going to care)

We also had what we called Terror Tuesday.. he went to care on Mondays and on Tuesday he was an absolute **** of a kid. Tantrums all day, crying, throwing things just generally crazy!!!!! I think in some ways he was a bit over stimulated on Mondays, the day care was actually really interactive and they did alot of craft and learning things- I loved getting the craft things every week that he made!! But in some ways I think for him it was a bit too much!

So recently we moved a fair distance from the day care he was in, and in the new house I havent enrolled him anywhere. We no longer have Terror Tuesdays... he is talking again and not spitting at me. We only have the one car at the moment so cant even make it to a play group- but I reckon he is enjoying having mum and DS and DD time!! And I dont feel like I need that break anymore, DD is interactive with DS now and they play together, she would miss him if he was gone for a whole day!!!!

But thats my experience with a 2yo... I am hoping when it comes to kinder time he rememebrs that he was at Day Care and mummy always came back to get him and he will adjust ok, if I dont think he will then i MAY consider day care for a few months before school. I also want to start studying again when DD is a bit older so I may even have them both in in a few years so i cna get ahead start on studying.

I dont think there is a right or wrong answer, Good or Bad... its up to you and your family... your circumstances, the day care you choose and what makes you all happy!!