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I noticed your use of the PAST tense which means you are affiming my point about experiences from years ago.

We live in a different era today. For most people who want to buy a house today the ASP is staggering. If you want a house in a good area (low crime, decent schools) then it costs you something. If people can afford to have a stay home TODAY then it means one parent makes real money. If you want to make real money then you won't likely do it in a rural area economy unless you own a business. Since $150K a year on one income is hard to come by then it means that two people usually work.

We live in a different era today. For most people who want to buy a house today the ASP is staggering. If you want a house in a good area (low crime, decent schools) then it costs you something

Bingo.

I gave up my job when my husband and I were transferred to Hawaii. We lived in base housing so I did not need to work, though I did when my son was about 1/1/2.

However, when we were transferred back to California, base housing was hard to come by, and you didn't get alot of housing allowance on an E5 salary. Living in a simple, safe, lower middle class neighborhood with decent schools nearby came at a price...me going to work.

For most people who want to buy a house today the ASP is staggering. If you want a house in a good area (low crime, decent schools) then it costs you something. If people can afford to have a stay home TODAY then it means one parent makes real money.

I was just discussing this issue with my husband yesterday. One of the guys who works for him has a new baby and they (the guy and his girlfriend) had been joking about asking me to babysit.

I knew the baby was about six weeks old now, so I asked if they had found a sitter. They have realized that they used to spend so much money going out to eat, and on activities, that they are doing just fine without her working.

The guy makes decent, but not spectacular money. It can be done...unless you're a snob, of course.

We live in a different era today.

Yes we do and it's not a good change.
Nothing tells you you are not worth someones time louder than them choosing not to give it to you.
Let's be honest, people want more stuff nowadays. This is sad to say, but buying a home may be out of reach for some people who want to be stay at home moms. This is hardly a problem new to us Gen Xer's, we just think it is. Obviously, stay at home motherhood is less respected than home ownership or this wouldn't be an issue. My sister and I were some of the first kids in our neighborhood who came home to an empty house because mom had to work, it was that or welfare and I now think that is the only time it should be done. The stay at home mothers all around us most certainly did not have husbands making anything close to today's equivalent of 150k.