See text below. Also note link to a statement by the Oxford research team about interpretations of their study in the media.
EXCERPTS
Yet another study confirms what most of us instinctively know: Kids do best when raised by a stay-at-home mother.
In what's being described as the "most in-depth study of the subject to date," Oxford University professors have concluded that children raised by stay-at-home mothers are more socially and emotionally advanced than those cared for by nannies or grandparents.
Kids placed in daycare fared the worst when it came to the developmental tests, the study of 1,200 children found.
Children who weren't lucky enough to have a stay-at-home mom tended to show higher levels of aggression, or found themselves at the other end of the spectrum, being more withdrawn, compliant and sad.
Before working moms get all bent out of shape, let me point out one positive about daycare or nannies. If mom is suffering from depression, then the study shows (not surprisingly) that the kids do better in someone else's care.
Obviously, mothers who have no choice but to work should never feel guilty for their decision. Those mothers who choose to work full-time, however, might want to re-examine their priorities.
Many working moms defend their decision by claiming that daycare is good for kids because it provides them with plenty of social interaction. According to this study, that just isn't the case.
Moreover, it has always baffled me as to why some people assume that kids with stay-at-home moms aren't properly socialized.
Do they really believe that stay-at-home moms keep their kids locked in isolation, away from other children?
The stay-at-home moms I know take their kids for regular outings where they are surrounded by other youngsters. They visit the park, participate in organized sports or play groups and in various educational programs.
Their children are not loners. They know how to interact with other kids.
Some working moms insist that daycare gives children more confidence. Nice theory, but the research just doesn't back it up.
- reprinted from the Vancouver Province