Why did you write this book? Out of my exasperation with media stories about women choosing motherhood over career. We always hear from these women before they are divorced or widowed or their husbands lose their jobs. If a woman chooses to stay home to raise kids, she’s assuming a huge economic risk.
Tell me about your interviews. There are a lot of frightened middle-aged women out there. They are not only in a financially precarious position, but they are also grappling with a terrible sense of emptiness, loss and grief. Raising kids is a temp job.
Working has frustrations, too. Yes, but it changes a woman’s life. It gives her more power in the world, in the marriage and in the family.
It’s tough to work when you have small kids. When my children were small, I often felt like I was drowning. But you have to use common sense and make the right choices. You can base your life on different values. Women go to extremes. Honestly, being a partner in a law firm is not the only choice. Don’t box yourself in.
