I hesitate to point to the New Republic's article on day care in America, because so many of my friends have kids in day care right now. They worry enough as it is. But there is a huge difference between the places that serve middle-class communities and the day care that serve the poor.
Jonah spent some time at an unlicensed home-based day care, when he was little. Nine toddlers and babies in a window-less basement apartment with one non-English speaking babysitter. There were some days that I worried about his safety.