I've never had a stay at home mom or dad. I wouldn't know what to do with a parent that showed love in a touchy feely kinda way (and I don't mean sexual folks). I love my children, I care for them, I work 50-60 hours in a week every week, I tend to their wounds and prideful hurts, I make damn sure that they have clothes on their backs and food in their bellies even when I have to go without (which is more often than I care to admit). I spend as much time as I can with them making sure I know where they are, who they're hanging out with, and what they're up to. I also let them make any mistakes that won't bring physical harm to them. What I don't do is coddle them, hug them more than once or twice a day (well - when they were younger I did, but now that they're almost teenagers they don't need it as much), I kiss them good night, ask them how their day went, and if their homework was done.
I say I would love to stay at home with them, but I know that I would eventually have to find a part time job or at least make "me" time. I'm not horrid, I'm not a bad mom, and I love kids... but here's my little problem. I hate - and I mean hate - being leaned on, strangled, hung on, touched constantly, and I can't stand someone in my lap that weighs more than say 25 pounds. I used to love it when they were little, having a little one on my hip or in my arms - now it makes me very uncomfortable.
I can't remember the last time my own mother or father hugged me, kissed me, told me they were proud of me... I wanted to be so much different than that, and I think I've done it as I never let a day go by without telling my girls how much they mean to me - that they are the reason I'm still on this earth and not 6 feet under it. My children know I love them without the physical side of it. Even if a mom or dad is in the workforce there is a way of bonding with your kids and showing them how much they mean to you. You don't have to spend all the time in the world with them - just make sure that the time you do spend with them is quality time.