I’ve been able to stay home since I put my husband through his bachelor’s degree. Through a combination of good management and divine providence, it’s always worked out.
However, based on my reading and the people I meet, I think the number of mothers who were never in paid employment while they had children is much smaller than nostalgia would have us believe.
For example, I have a friend at church who is exactly my mother’s age (78). Her husband was a State Department employee - doing something with medical technology in places like Afghanistan, Burma, and India - and she says casually that she “worked for the Agency” once their children were old enough for school.
I think you are right. Both of my grandmothers worked as needed on the farm, my mom went back to work when we were all in school.
We have been hammered over the years with medical issues. Two kids with chronic conditions and the medications and office visits add up. Big time. Now another one has been diagnosed with an extremely painful and severe skin issue: all my herbs and essential oil made it worse. The prescription alone is $572/month plus monthly dermatology visits and blood tests. Every penny I earn won’t quite cover his costs. I miss having my home be the focus of my time everyday but it’s no longer an option. Thankfully we can have our homeschool work done and supper in the crockpot before I leave for work. Tonight should be a profitable night waiting tables. It will be busy and I am praying that God will see my middle aged self through this job that is a young person’s game ;-).