AIBU to dare to suggest that children are better off NOT in nursery til 3?

[WeakAndMilky]

AIBU to NOT buy into the belief that exposing toddlers to every bug going is good for their immune system? Nurseries are terrible places for bugs and so many DCs spend half their time with D&V, colds, fevers, rashes etc. If you want an example of the 'constant cough/cold syndrome' look on Childrens Health!

True some parents have no choice and children do need to see other children. But they dont do much interactive play before the age of 3 and their immune system has plenty of time to build with more limited contact with other kids and adults.

My own DCs went only to playgroup weekly before school started, and they didnt collapse under the bombardment of viruses when they did go, just the usual minor stuff. My DD never had an antibiotic til she was a teenager!

Please dont bang on about having no choice due to work (you obviously don't have a choice) but there are plenty of mums who do have the choice and choose to send babies and toddlers to nursery.

The amount of illnesses depends on the nursery and it's policies and procedures. What is hygiene like? How many children are there? When do they send children home? How strict are they with parents who try to send their ill children to nursery? How much are they outside? And possibly most importantly, are there enough well trained staff to keep things healthy and hygienic?
I did supply recently in a nursery that didn't wash hands before or after snack and the chairs were covered in dried on food from previous meals. I dare say illness was quite common there.

Posie, I didn't actually think I told you to F off directly. I apologise if I did. Your post saying "And by the way I don't know anyone who sends their under three to nursery seriously believing it's the only way for them to develop socially" was what I took offence at. I acknowledge that this wasn't your intention and you were just commenting that you didn't know anyone who said that..... til you met me

Apologies to OP for posts about her family and the posts about additives, etc. I admit I was stirring a bit because I thought she was being pig headed. But I should have been more grown up about it.

Stand by the fact that I think she is a public liability in a GPs surgery as an allied health professional spouting this sort of rubbish.