Mason will be starting nursery in just over half a year.
I'm not sure about the legislation in England but in Scotland it would automatically entitle him to 30 free hours per week, 5x6 hour days. That is 5 full days of running around, socialising and communicating with others. As well as being expected to eat fairly properly with an attempt at cutlery and drinking from cups (I've walked through the lunch hall during nursery lunch time and although it isn't sparkling clean the children are not throwing/messing food all over the place which is what he appears to do).
Mason would not cope with that. Yes half a year does make a massive difference, it can be night and day but the boy barely speaks, does not seem to be given cutlery whatsoever, has a dummy and/or bottle in his mouth constantly and he is bit active.
Yes parents can take their children out earlier but most don't as they need to work. Granted Robbo won't be increasing her hours at Spoons but she certainly won't be in a rush to have children home when they don't need to be.