Having worked in an Early Learning Centre (essentially a childcare centre with an education focus... run with a 0-2 room, a 3yo room, a 4yo room and a pre-prep room for children not quite school ready). It was an excellent centre but didn't offer single days except in the 0-2 room... and there were only 10 children in that room and it was very hard to get into...and it was very expensive (part of a private girls' school). But this is one of the very few CC options i would use if it was to be on a regular basis. The standards are very high... individual needs and differences are more likely to be catered for and the staff highly trained... and more mature women carers than young girls.

I've been to a few CC for a look which were truly miserable places. You really do have to choose your centre. This is where you really must trust your intuition and don't ignore alarm bells just because you are desperate for an outcome.

To answer you orignial question: yes, I would put a child of mine into CC for one day a week... even if I was a SAHM, but only if I was confident the centre was top notch and they are hard to find, to be quite honest.

I've been a SAHM for 8 years in total. The last 5 consecutive years. Since my older son has attended kindergarten (3yo and 4yo) I really understand how I have suffered from not having any help from extended family... for 2 years I had no break... day in day out no support....except for 1/2 a day "me time" on a Saturday when my Dh would step up and care for all 3 of my kids by himself. This has had a great toll on our relationship, my sanity, the cleanliness of the house, our ability to be organised as a family (the filing never gets done) and my health. If that is what people would want for you (by saying that a SAHM should not have access to even 1 day of CC) then expect society to crumble. Being a full time SAHM is the hardest job in the world don't question it.... harder than running a class of 25 3yos!!! (which i often did with just the help of an agency staff member when the qualified teacher was on sick leave). I often say to my DH "I need to get a paid job so i can have a break" Does this not say something to people???

Try it. Be VERY fussy in looking for the right place. And take your child's lead: if they love it then all is well... if they are miserable then stop it.