You're on the right track. They've been working on us since the 50's, at least. All those vapid movies where the perfectly coifed and svelt mother has the kids fed and in bed while she tiptoes in her tight sheath and her French twist to get her hubs a martini as the steaks sizzle in the background...Pfft!
They sold us the notion that a stay-home woman was somehow incomplete. And then they started that whole equality thing, just to make sure we'd accept abortion...
I think you and others here are being very unfair to working mothers most I know do so to actually make ends meet.
With house prices and other expenses it is very hard to get a mortgage on a single salary especially if the man is self employed.
Most women I know have to juggle a job, keeping home and being the one that has to negotiate with their employer if the school rings and the children need picking up.
A lot of these women would rather work part time or not work at all but reality is that they have to.