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My mom was usually home for a year or two after each kid, except for me--she went back to work after just 6 weeks because my dad had been laid off and they needed the $$. I was put in an in-home situation. I have no memory of that of course, but my mom has never said anything negative about it.

When I was a bit older, my parents built and ran a medium size pre-school. It was just for potty trained kids-pre-K and enrolled about 65-70 kids at the peak. After owning it for about 9 years, they sold it to our local church who took ownership and changed the name and made it more christan-centered. I have very fond memories of that place--I attended from about age 3 to when I went to K, and of course was there after school every day until they sold it. All my best friends were there with me, and of course I saw my mom a lot since she was the director (she wasn't my teacher, though).

When I grew up I went to a babysitter. The ones I went to when I was a baby and preschooler cared for me along side their own children until they went back to work. The one I went to from 4 or 5 on up babysat professionally. I was pretty free to do what I wanted there and there was no real structure besides meals. I work at a daycare, and plan on sending my child there when s/he is born. I like the better structure and the educational values that I didn't have growing up. I feel my child will be far more ready for school than I was.

Mom stayed home with us for 6 months (maternity leave at the time), then used a variety of daycares (both home & centre) and 'grandma-care' (not actually our grandma just an older couple that were our neighbours).

SOs mom stayed home.

No, our experiences as kids didn't affect our plans for care - in-home daycare.

All of our relatives used each other (family). There was a stay at home aunt that watched me and my cousin.

My mom stayed home until we went to school, then she took a job with school hours, so she was off when we were off, had winter break, summer break, etc. until middle school, when we could more or less watch ourselves for an hour or so after school. She always took off winter break and a lot of time in the summer.

DH's mom was a SAHM for awhile and also worked part time waitressing on the weekends. They grew up with ALOT of extended family nearby.

I always knew I'd be a WOHM, I briefly considered SAH when LO was really little but I don't think it would've worked out.

My mom was a SAHM although we did go to Mothers Day Out once a week when we were toddler/pre-school aged. They also hired babysitters in the evening for date nights, etc.

DH and I basically operate our household the same way.

ETA: My MIL stayed at home when DH and his sister were younger and went back to school when they were in MS.

My mom stayed home until I was about 6. Then went back to work part time and eventually full time. My gran (dads mom) came to our house every day and watched us before school/ at lunch time (we walked home) and after school. She stayed there all day mon-fri so was with us on sick days and school vacations. It was the best. We love her!

Eta if she went on vacation, my best friends mom had a home day care and we went there.

My mom was a SAHM...

I have two other sister...one uses a nanny, one used the other grandma for 1.5 years then daycare and DH and I have used daycare from 4 mos.

My mom declined to be grandma care for my oldest (hence why they went with the other grandma). I think my moms encouragement towards my decision made me feel better/less guilty about my decision.

Grandma care! I wish my mom lived closer so we could consider it as an option.

At 2, I went to an abusive babysitter.
At 3, I went to my grandmother.
At 4, I went to a day-care.

My mother than became a SAHM when my brother was born, so he never had any other childcare other than my mom.

Being a SAHM will not be an option for me, I wouldn't want to do it. However, with childcare, there will be intense due diligence on my side to avoid the things I had to go through as a kid.

My mom H's periods of being a SAHM. For a couple of school years, we went to an in-home after school program until my parents realized that she wasn't paying attention to us and allowing some very bad things to happen. For two summers, we lived with my nana during the week and went home on weekends, and once I was 9, we started being latch-key kids.

Well I was born in a tiny village in China and immigrated here when I was 3. Up till then we were all home with my mom and grandmother.
When we came to the states I basically hung out at my moms works after school until my brothers came to pick me up. That was until I was in high school. Then I was allowed to take the train home myself.

DH's mom was a SAHM that did PT work for their home business. So she was always home after school etc. but when there was no school they spent A LOT of time at their grandparents or their grandmothers came over and watched them.

Neither influences our expectations of child care. We both knew we needed to work and SAH wasn't really a consideration. I've never had a desire to be a SAHM when I was younger.

I went to an in home daycare until I was 2, then day care center. My brother only went to the day care center. Both of my parents worked full time.

My Mum was a SAHM who was also a piano teacher in the afternoons and worked on a casual basis. We were mainly at home with Mum while she taught but I would say my Grandmothers and the elderly lady across the road filled in the gaps.

My Mom was a SAHM as a military wife in Germany. She was previously a 1st grade teacher. When we moved back stateside she opened her own daycare. I was free child labor till I went to college

My mom stayed at home with me until I went to school, then she only took jobs that were either during the day or where she could take me with her or I could be left with my dad or grandma. She'd put my brother in daycare briefly when he was a baby and was very against it after that.

My husband's mom was also a SAHM or took jobs she could work only when he was cared for by family/when he was in school.

It didn't affect how I THOUGHT I would parent. I always assumed we'd do daycare and had 0 desire to be a SAHM. But I think now that LO is here it strongly affects how we feel about things. I ended up staying home for 20 months (more through circumstance than choice) and we really liked it (except the lack of money). I went back to work 2 weeks ago and we are HATING daycare. It is just not feeling like a daycare center is able to give the level of care we expect and probably a big part of that is because neither of us ever had to be without our moms/family when we were kids.

I had a babysitter that came over the house to watch me.

She stayed home and we had a nanny. Other factors influence my decision to work and use daycare. My mom and I are apples and oranges

My mom was a SAHM. She also had my grandmother & great aunt up the street. She doesn't drive, never has, so we were with grandma & great aunt a lot.