Leave it Beaver had stay at home wife. My wife, of almost 40 years only stayed at home for short periods after the two kids were born. Not long after the second one, she started work on her doctorate. She's also supported us my last two years of college and while I got my masters a few years later. She's now the chair of a small college's teacher education department.
We had a rough period. She moved out, but we worked through it, went to counseling, and are still married. Now we've survived over 11 years of "commuter marriage", living in separate cities due to work considerations. (We are sick of it, fortunately her job allows us to at least live together when school is not in session) It can be done. I think people get to the rough period, and just give up. To hell with how it affects the kids.
Now that said, I know several people who finally made a good go of it, after 2 or 3 tries. But for the most part, they either had no children, or the separations were amiable enough that the children's suffering was minimized. One couple, former couple that is, helped organize our "turning 60" class reunion, part of which was held at their son's restaurant. :). They still consider themselves friends.
But then there is also the couple who were Junior High. sweethearts, married soon after high school, and are still married, 40+ years later. Their two kids are each two years younger than our two. She was the youngest looking lady at the reunion.
Sweet! Good to see success stories!
Bad memory, it's the drugs, I swear. (But I took the last pill last night, so the memory should be improving).
In reality they married just over 2 years out of high school, and only 3 months before we did. :)