The best experience of my life was staying home to raise my kids. I never would have chosen to do it another way. I was extremely fortunate to have been able to do that, and every time I want to kill my husband, I think about the fact that he allowed that to happen, and believe me, it saves his life on some days.
And yeah, sorry but I definitely saw a big difference between day care kids and the ones who had their mommas taking care of them. No one loves your child and cares about their well-being the way their own parent does, and no one else is going to care enough to invest the energy to ensure they are raised the way YOU want them raised. I mean, I don't really care if other people don't mind sticking their kids in daycare, but i wouldn't EVER do it, and really, you shouldn't kid yourself that the child doesn't pay a big price for it. They do. Ask a kindergarten teacher.