Surely its all about cash. If you can afford to stay at home .. then one parent will/should.. which will invariably be the mother as to be frank its her job until the child is 5-7.

But its always going to be superior for a mother to be teaching and interacting with her child on a all day basis rather than a child minder looking after your child all day and you spending 3 hours max before they go bed. Open and shut case.