I agree with Kate, Nicole! I'm plenty guilty of not following her advice, but I think it's probably much healthier for everyone to take breaks BEFORE we get to the point of total exhaustion, snappiness, lack of patience, etc. Sort of like the idea that you should always leave a party or vacation destination while you are still having fun!

Also, I think it's worth looking at from the child's perspective. Sure, you do fun stuff, but there are even more toys and paints and books at a pre-school, and everyone needs some variety in the people they interact with. And which would you rather do - accompany Mom to the dentist, the drugstore, the grocery store (where you are constantly told you can't have the food you really want! :) ), the dry cleaners, or go play with a bunch of other kids, finger paint, etc. My sister also now frequently meets her DH for lunch when the kids are at pre-school and school, and it gives them couple time that is otherwise very scarce!

Oh, and one more thing, from the little research I have done, it seems that the "parents' day out" type programs are more likely to be ones where all the kids come for a few hours, rather than also being full-time day care centers with a few part-timers thrown in. They seem to be mostly in churches, but I am sure there are others.

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02