Make that mom or dad. You made the kid, it's your responsibility to care for it not someone else's. We made the decision that one of us would be home or available for ours until they graduate high school. Teens, in their own peculiar ways, need their parents just as much as toddlers.
Sometimes circumstances make it so that a child has to go to daycare.
I went on total bedrest during my 2nd pregnancy, so we had to put my son in daycare. He ended up staying in it longer than we expected because his twin sisters got very sick and almost died when they were 6 weeks old. After the twins got home, one had severe asthma and one had brain damage. I couldn't handle all 3 kids at home with me (it was hard enough to take care of 2 sick babies).
We found a great daycare close to our home. I could pick him up early or drop him off late whenever I wanted. He loved it. He was always very sociable and made friends easily. He hated being at home all day long without other kids to play with.
I never rag on daycare because it was such a lifesaver for my family. I also know a number of women whose husbands have died young (and some whose husbands have left them), and they've needed daycare.