I'm a '69 model myself, and my wife stopped working outside the home two months before our oldest son (11 1/2) was born. She, too, has a college degree, and probably could have made more money than I did at that time (I was enlisted in the Navy). But I was totally unprepared to breast-feed, so we went the route of having her stay home instead, and three more additions to the family have followed.
My mom worked during my entire childhood, and I was determined that my kids would have it differently. My wife totally agreed. In fact, that had quite a bit to do with me leaving the girl I was seeing at the time I met my wife (her ideas about career versus family didn't square with mine) and taking up with her.
Sometimes my wife gets to feeling like society demeans SAHM's, and to some extent I think that's the case. But I'm seeing more and more women make that choice, and I totally applaud it. And I also believe that as more and more moms take that on, the perception about who they are and what they do will change for the better.
What can possibly be more important than raising your own children? It really is that simple, isn't it?
And I believe that's a cycle we're going to see both continue and expand as more and more mom's take up the challenge (and I know what a challenge it is) to eschew the workplace for the home place.
As I tell my wife all the time: she has a MUCH harder job than I do!
Way to go, all you SAHM's!
"But I was totally unprepared to breast-feed..."
LOL!!
Thanks for the chuckle. I love how you sneaked it in there. I almost missed it. :-)