It's incredibly hard work, and draining because they are potentially in danger almost all the time. We were lucky enough to have two girls 15 months apart, which is more work sometimes, and less others because they played a lot together. However some of my fondest memories of spending time with my daughters is from that time.
I’ve seen quite a few families where one parent doesn’t do any childcare... that looks super tough, which is why I can forgive those parents sometimes zoning out and playing with their phone...
It's good for you so you can have a life other than just being a parent, and it's good for your kid because he/she can learn to socialize early and interact with someone else than you.
But I understand it's not always easy to find affordable daycare depending where you live.
Absolutely. I agree with you and I think more people should choose to not have children. There is still a stigma about it. I think the stigma would go away or at least subside if more people opted to not have children.
The first 3 to 5 years are critical in several stages of a child's mental development[2]. Too many adults think kids are a waste of time until they are older, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The more time you spend with them and the more of a positive relationship you develop, the more it will pay off in spades later on. They seek attention because they love you and they desperately want to spend time with you. 4 year olds want to get involved and help with everything - let them, even if it means the job takes twice as long. You will never have as much influence over the development of your child again.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexagon#Hexaflexagons
[2] http://www.factsforlifeglobal.org/03/