Women can “have it all” over the course of their life. The problem is when they want it all at once. I disagree that you are permanently damaged when you leave the work force. That can be true with certain professions and obviously there may be a period of catching up. But I’ve known too many women who went back to work successfully or even went back to school or work part time while their kids were in school or after they left home and it led to successful careers. Would they have been further ahead had they worked the entire time? Yeah, maybe. It’s a trade off. I returned to the the work force when my kids were school aged but to a very flexible work from home programming job. Had I not left, would I be in management by now? Maybe (though I have zero desire, just trying to make a point). Heck if that were true I may have been laid off by now too. And my salary did not decrease going back, it increased because the pay scale had increased while I was out. I know I’m lucky in regards to my experience leaving/re-entering the work force but I’m not out of this world lucky. All I know is work or no work, my husband and kids are #1 and if the priorities shift and work shifts near the top….bye bye work.

And I really can’t comment on the husband’s role in all of this since he’s barely in the article. I’m sure he’s not without blame but there just isn’t any info. to go on. Typically though I find women are more apt to be irrational about a house and keeping up appearances for themselves and their children than men.