Work vs Home

        I have been a stay-at-home mom for the last 5 years.  I did not choose to stay home with my kids, I simply lost my jobs, took my then one child out of day care and decided to stay home for a while.  By the time I was pregnant with my second child my wife and I reviewed how much it would cost us to keep both of our kids in day care and decided it would be best for me just to stay home for now.  Well it's been 5 years since I've been home and now it's time to get back into work force. 
      I have mixed feelings about it.  As much as I'd love to get back to an "adult world"  my kids and I have been inseparable and get panic attack the moment I start thinking about leaving them for more than few hours at the time.  I know it may sound silly and I know realistically I have to just get over it and go back to work. 
     Last Wednesday I had an interview and this morning they called me in for my second interview.  I was having a panic attack once again.  But even more than that this is what bothered me:
The first phone call was from HR and the lady was very nice on the phone and understood that I can only come in this Friday and that I'd have to call her back to confirm since I had to make sure I had a babysitter for my kids.  Then, 10 minutes later I got a phone call from the woman that interviewed me the first time, to whom I made it very clear that I have been a stay at home mom for the past 5 years.  But, she was not very understanding this time, she said they really needed to make their decision by Wednesdays and that if I am unable to come to the second interview they will call me if they are not pleased with their other finalists.
   Has it been that long since I've been in a work force that employers got tougher and have that many candidates to choose from?  Or is our economy still that bad that there are more than a few applicants for the same job?  Or may be it is that even women do not really understand or unable to have any sympathies for stay at home moms or are they just jealous that they themselves did not have a chance to stay home with their kids?
    I'm not sure which one it is, but I do not it opened up some thinking for me.  Do you think I should have just schedule 2nd interview and then deal with my babysitting issue or be honest the way that I was? 
  I always thought honest was the best policy but I'm starting to think that is not true when it comes to the professional world of pretty much competition.