Not sure if things have changed in the last couple of years, but if your childminder is Ofsted approved & registered, & your wife goes back on no more than 24hrs a week; you could get half that £1200 p/m back in the Childcare element of working tax credit.(Assuming you dont earn megabucks).
Unfortunately the threshold is below what we earn, so it seems that Childcare Vouchers are the only 'handout' we're entitled too. Both currently sorting that out with our employers.
Part of the problem with being the one with the earning potential is that you are the one that has to go out to work. I go out every day when I'd much rather be at home with my kid. It's what I do for the family. Currently I am home every night.
Yep, that's pretty much the case here. Although I work from home 80%+ of the time, so I get to play with little fella on and off throughout the day. And I do the last feed etc so get another couple of hours with him before carrying on with any necessary work.
We live in an expensive part of the country and don't have any family nearby to support us. Naturally both impact our expendable income. Hence putting the effort in now is key to creating as much financial stability as possible. I don't want to be working 'all hours' by the time he goes to school - I want to be able to support him in every activity he does etc.
obviously all those parents who buy expensive mtb's, drive VAG estates and go riding every weekend should take a long hard look at themselves
2.5 our of 3 on that one 
I do escape for a few hours most weekends but other than that we do just about everything else as a family.
