And "Daycare" doesn't do your housework, your cooking, your shopping, or plenty of other things.

just like taking care of an elderly or sick family member... gets little respect

I don't know when the switch happened, but I grew up in the 70s and 80s and the term we used was Housewife or Homemaker, and it was considered a job. Stay at home mom was probably coined by feminists to undermine traditional gender roles to make a Homemaker seem frivolous or lazy. Running a household is the same as running a small business, finances, budgets, supplies, keeping the clients happy, scheduling it all applies. The only difference is running a household is 24/7, no breaks no vacations.

From my point of view one of the hardest jobs out there but one of the most rewarding jobs.

Not only all this, but we are also penalized on things like retirement accounts, and disability eligibility, access to Healthcare, and building social security for when we're older.

I quit my job when I became pregnant with my first child because it would cost almost the same as I made at my job to put him in daycare. And I worked at a daycare at the time! 🤷‍♀️

By the time I paid for commuting, and various other work related expenses (commuting, occasional lunches out, the ubiquitous "Buy my kid's girl scout cookies/school fundraiser stuff/whatever!", Secret Santa presents, etc..., I would probably be paying more. And then, of course, I would have to still come home and do all the cooking and cleaning and doing the vast majority of childcare when at home).

I tried to make a go of it, but being around a lot of babies while someone else took care of mine was horrible. I was in admin, not even working with the kids, but it still made me feel so guilty. I made it almost 2 weeks and then quit.

And then my second came along, and there was no way I would be able to afford to go back to work in the capacity I was at when I quit. I was planning on going back to work, at least part time, when my youngest went to kindergarten. And that's when covid hit and their schools sent them to remote schooling for the next year and a half.

And all during that time, my rheumatoid arthritis (runs through my family big time) went haywire, and it got so bad I had to have both my hips replaced. I was bedridden for around 4 months, because I had put it off so long it was bone against bone at the time, and all the orthopedic surgeons around had quit doing "elective surgery". Finally a couple years ago I had them both replaced. I need a shoulder replacement now as well.

Anyway, this entire sob story was to explain that because I hadn't worked in so long, I was no longer eligible for any sort of disability payments. My husband makes too much for me to get SSDI. We exhausted all of our options fighting to get my disability. And now my POTS (heart tachycardia disorder) is so out of control, if I don't spend several hours during the day lying down with my feet elevated, I pass out randomly throughout the day. It is also a genetic issue in my family and was most likely triggered by my surgeries (trauma and illness can trigger it or make it worse). So now, I had to create my own business that I can do from home as I'm able, and it's flexible enough that I can make it work. But it took several years of hard work with nothing to show for it before it started paying off.

Anyway. All of this was to point out how our society is really built to be AGAINST stay at home wives and mothers. It's not only emotionally and physically exhausting, but things like retirement accounts, Social Security, disability, Healthcare (which is normally obtained through work) is either nonexistant for us, or we have to jump through all sorts of hoops, and pay extra form that privilege, just to get it, if we even can.

So, yeah, it sucks. But I still wouldn't trade a day of it because I was able to spend that time with my kids. I realize it's both a burden (for what I described above) but also a privilege (because I got to spend that time with my kids).

Daycare won't teach children either

mostly, its a kid jail

The reason women do not stay at home is bevause of all the hard work. It is easier to have a job and let someone else raise your kids. IMO

We all know if we did not do the work what our homes and kids would look like. Daycare does not even do 1/4 of it. I never used daycare, but I imagine part of the cost is for insurance and meeting regulations and licensing fees. Some hire other people to help. You can raise a child without all the money people think they need, with the woman staying home in her role as a housewife. Its the keeping up with the Joneses that puts people into debt. Raising your kid to not have that value is not that hard. The problem is with women who cannot even maintain a home and do adult responsibilities anymore. They all have anxiety and other issues, laziness, depression, etc. and then they have children on top of that. I have lived long enough to witness the collapse of western civilization in real time. I know there is a push for more babies to be born, but can't we be a little discerning on that. Should they really be born to women who cannot even prepare a meal or know how to shop for food, who let the kitchen fester in filth? Who have the emotional intelligence of a reactive chihuahua? In my state there is funding for low income Moms for daycare, so they can go to work, in some cases those few hours a day is the only time the kids have any mothering and teaching, like washing their hands, helping with chores. The people with higher incomes demand higher standards for daycare, its almost like pre school. From what I see, a lot of these people need a spay and nueter program.

Yeah, I lived that life. You go from sun up to midnight. Everybody is watching TV and you're washing dishes or laundry. But HELL! You don't work.

Anyone saying being a stay at home parent isn't work, either doesn't have kids of their own, or paid a small fortune in daycare fees. My ex and I took turns being a stay at home parent. There's very few jobs either of us had that kept us more busy, or were more rewarding than staying home to raise our children.

That’s right! Mofos!

Sadly many Moms had to work as well as take care of the household because our standard of living dropped and it was necessary to make ends meet. Latch key kids were common, then gangs became common.

BINGO!