I agree that the unpaid work that SAHMs do is not valued enough. I agree that there should be more childcare places. But unlike a SAHM I didn't have the option of not putting my child in daycare. I'm all for mothers being able to get the break they deserve from their unpaid work - having raised for kids, I would have appreciated that too - but when it's boils down to getting childcare or not being able to work when you have to, I know what side I'm on. One has some semblance of a choice, the other doesn't.

Ironically though, I was on a waiting list for my cc for 12 months, and they finally offered me a place when I had not yet returned to work. I actually had to place my son there despite not wanting to because otherwise I would have lost the spot for when I did return to work in 6 months. It was only one day a week and I put him in for only half a day despite paying for a full day but the nonsensical nature of how they'd worked out 'need' never failed to make me smh in disbelief.

If Charlie was to arrive in Melbourne tomorrow and I had to suddenly look for daycare for him, I would hope that my situation would be considered more needful than a SAHM who might have the option of being more flexible. I don't assume that they don't need a break, but I'm not putting my child into childcare to have a break, it's to work, so I would hope that that would be weighted in my favour.