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Wow ,Thanks. My husband is very supportive, but other than that I have never gotten any type of praise for staying home with the kids.

I am told by most that it should be easier for me since "I don't work", and that "I am lucky my husband makes enough money that I don't have to work". So I was really responding to this thread as a semi- joke to myself. You are very kind !

You should be getting praise all over the place!

Listen to Dr. Laura -- she'll be a great counter to any of the "working (i.e. selfish) Moms" criticism that might be levelled at you.

Working Moms bred Gangsta rap, Columbine, and the brats pulling people out of cars in SF in "Peace" rallies.

There is a book out there with the title "the myth of the 2-income family" or something similar. It demonstrates that essentially, by the time you subtract the marginal costs of the second spouse working (and I think that it can be either gender) -- car, gasoline, working wardrobe, restaurant lunches and dinners, hired child care, etc. -- the net is very very small. The idea of "self-fulfullment" is more important to many than the idea of "doing the right thing by your kids" or "ensuring your values are instilled into your children."

Hang in there and know there are a lot of us out there who support you.

btw: My mother was a single mother of 7 as a result of my Dad's selfish separation from the family. I know first-hand how difficult it is to be a single Mom and know that it hurt my mother through her whole life that she had to work and could not provide the support she felt we deserved. She died young, in her early 60's.

The important thing is that she didn't CHOOSE the single Mom route, nor did she do anything immoral to result that way. And she taught all of her children the importance of values and moras and passing those on.

Stay strong and hug your kids next chance you get.