Most people that I know feel that it is better to be able to stay at home with their children if they have the option. Being on both sides of the fence as a single mom raising a 3 year old daughter, I have seen both sides of the situation and I have come to the conclusion that if you are fortunate enough to have your child in a quality day care environment, that it is a better option. I know that many people will disagree with me on this and at one time I would have disagreed with myself as well. However, as I stated above, I am a single mother of one. I have had experience with 2 home based daycare situations and 2 preschool situations when I was working out of the home full time. Currently, I am unemployed and working as hard as I can to get my home business to make something online or find another job, which ever comes first. I am keeping my fingers crossed that my home business will prevail regardless. But I digress. As I was saying, while I love having my little girl home with me and watching the wonderful things she does everyday as she grows, I feel in a way that she is being short changed. Please do not misunderstand me. I am the very best mother I can be - constantly looking for ways to improve my mothering skills to give my daughter the very best childhood and foundation I can possibly create. We live on three acres in one of the last remaining rural areas in town and there are no other children around for her to play with. I play with her the best I can, but I am 37 and have several health issues to contend with, while she is, yes I say again, is but 3. I do not have that kind of energy. I take my vitamins, medication, exercise within my limitations, and eat very well, but she is like a firecracker on the fourth of July most days or the energizer bunny.  She does not nap to make matters more challenging as she is simply too wound for sound to calm down enough to rest a half hour or forty-five minutes.  That is a rare but welcome occurrence.   I have to work on the computer searching for jobs and learning more about my mission to achieve success at a home business along with actually trying to advertise, attend meetings when able, webinars, and etc. I continue to persevere so that I can give my daughter the best experiences I am able in an effort for her to have the happiest childhood possible. She was in a wonderful daycare that I was truly pleased with due to the exceptional care the staff took of the children under their watch while all of us working parents were away from them. I can honestly say that it was the only time I was pretty content with a caregiver watching my daughter that was not a very close and trusted relative. There is always that part of you, no matter how small that you wonder what is going on with your children when they are not in your direct line of vision.  But, my daughter was happy, self assured, sociable, and enjoyed her friends and caregivers. It was her place. I made a career move that appeared to be a good idea on the surface and ended up being a mistake. We all make them and we both suffered for a bad judgement call on my part.  I think that if I had more children that maybe I would look at things differently as my little girl would have someone to play with. On the other hand, if I had other children and they fought all the time and did not play together, then I would have the same issue compounded by the number of children. I continue to work hard and hope that by the time my unemployment runs out that I will have things set up to where I can count on an income to start coming in again and it will be enough to put her back into daycare at a well run and caring pre-school setting where she will be happy and contint once again and have children to play with that are her age.   Curreently, she expects our old dog to participate in activities he just is not interested in at this stage of his life. He mostly likes to eat, sleep, and take care of his business. He does indulge her to a point and then he is done. There is nothing more comforting than having her home where I know exactly what is going on with her and what she is doing, however, I can significantly shorten my work day when I have the flexibility to give her play time with other children and completely focus. It would add the benefit of no longer having to hear that dreaded comment, " Mommy, I am bored"; coming out of her mouth at any given time. That way when I pick her up, we have more quality time together. I will be able to devote all of my attention to her and her needs.  I have always thought that quality is better than quantity, especially when you are spinning your wheels trying to get too many things done at once, with very few exceptions. Sometimes it is true that less is more and I want the best for my baby girl, just as all good parents aspire to for their children. If you are fortunate enough to find a good one, I recommend daycare for only children because it helps to form their independence, self assurance, self esteem, and social skills. I strongly recommend taking the time to research day cares to find the best place you possibly can for your child's well being.  Doing things like dropping in unexpectedly at odd hours of the day, observing how the children already attending interact with the staff, general behavior and disposition of the children already attending, and the general feel of atmosphere and energy of the pre-school/daycare are all good ways to get a reasonable idea of the quality of care in the organization.  Granted, it is not fool proof, but it is better than taking the word of someone.  Do not do that on face value.  It is a good tool, but people have different opinions and what may be acceptable to someone else may not be acceptable to you as a parent.   It is definitely worth researching any place you will be placing your most precious family member-the innocent one(s)- your child(ren).  After all, it is a heartbreaking lesson to learn when it is at the expense of your child.  Take heart and take the time.  It will be worth the investment in your child's well being.  -PJ