Daycare

I was just doing some reading on daycares recently. One of the reasons being that I am constantly faced with people questioning the job legitimacy of being a SAHM. My childhood was unique in that I spent time away from my mom in a combination of ways.
I was partly raised by one of my aunts with my other cousins. I have vivid memories of those days, and the only time I remember my aunts presence was when she would holler and yell at her boys when they were getting into trouble. In the morning before school, I'd spend about an hour alone, before anyone else got up, watching anything I wanted on TV. After school, we'd make prank phone calls, wreak havoc on the neighborhood, get into verbal fights with other kids, and spend time at other latch key kid's houses. There was usually no adult supervision, so we did whatever we wanted.
I was also partly raised in a couple actual daycares. This was even worse than being left with my aunt and cousins. I never got used to the ache, that no matter how many years I spent in daycare, never left my heart. It was an ache that desired and yearned so badly for my mom. Here I was left in the midst of aggressive, unruly kids (who had become this way from spending most or all of their lives in daycare), cold adults who didn't care that much about me, and certainly didn't love me, cheap as possible, unhealthy meals (so they could save as much money as possible), and a 15 child to 1 adult ratio.
I actually find it humorous (and sad) when I read the names of some of these daycares. "Little Blessings," "Grandma's Arms." Or the ones with an "educational emphasis." like the name, "Bright Horizons" or "Knowledge Learning Corporation." (any child can parrot their ABC's).
I can hardly imagine leaving my six week old baby in a daycare. Basically, it would be like leaving your baby with strangers. Not to mention these strangers are getting paid peanuts (did I mention the high turn over rate). And no, it's not one on one care either, try more like four babies to one adult. Then as babies become toddlers they get shuffled into groups with kids much older than themselves. The daycare worker doesn't have quality time to give to any one child, and toddlers basically end up getting raised by other kids! What kind of generation is being created!
Daycare is just not the best option for children. If it's a temporary, emergency type situation, then okay do what you have to do, but unfortunately for most kids this isn't the case. How can a mom spend nine months preparing to have, "the perfect baby," only to put her newborn into an institution! Really it's all about dollars. Dollars are more important than children in our world today. Women will spend all day away from their children at a job, only to give most of their paycheck to someone else to raise their children.
I am a SAHM because I am a product of daycare and I know it's absolutely not the best thing for children. No matter what, no one can give a child the love and care so desperately needed like his mother.