I think I read they go to a Montessori preschool? Do you mind me asking when Anand started and how long are their days? Patrick is 2.5 and Lucas is 10 months old and some days are harder than others. My tolerance level seems to be about 4-5 hours and then I'm ready for a break, even if it's only someone taking one of them off my hands. My husband seems to have a much higher tolerance than I do, but he's also physically stronger than I am and likes to play rough with them and I can't manage it. On one hand, I'd like to put Patrick in a part-time program a few days a week just so he could spend time with other kids and let me focus on the baby, on the other hand, Lucas adores his big brother and is so much happier when he's around. I'd have put Patrick in Montessori at 2 if we'd only had one child, but it's harder to know what to do when there are two of them and costs are nearly doubled.

Oh, and I don't think I could've managed this at all in my 20s. While I might have had more energy, I certainly didn't have the patience to manage and infant and a toddler. I know several young women in their mid-20s with young children and they seem just as tired as frazzled as I do.

Yes, it's Montessori, and Anand started very young, though I don't remember exactly. I had to go back to work after 3 weeks, though. They go from 8:30 - 4:00.

It's definitely pricey, although our school does give 10% discount for the second child. Another option you might consider is a nanny share; we did that for a while, and it was a good way to keep costs manageable and still give them a playmate or two.