[Aditya]

Bottom-line decisions

Mindy knew there was little opportunity for advancement in her position as a customer service supervisor. She was often required to work evenings, which she wasn't comfortable with. She felt the net result pay was not enough for the long hours she put in.

Mindy decided to stay at home. She would now have the time to shop the sales and make home-cooked meals instead of buying the more expensive heat-and-eat meals. With some careful planning, she could make the household budget stretch enough to do just fine.

Cedara liked working in social services and felt she was making a difference in the lives of many clients. She wanted to continue working. She took a close look at her expenses and saw ways to cut back and get a better net result. It was just a matter of being aware of where the dollars go and spending more wisely.

Each woman made her decision based on what seemed to be best for her and her family in the long term.

Eliminate double standards

The portrayal of the family as seen on some old TV shows like “Leave It To Beaver” and “Father Knows Best,” where the husband/father puts on a suit and goes off to work while the wife/mother stays at home, is only one of many scenarios. I would like to see double standards eliminated -- but unfortunately, I don't think it will happen anytime soon.

One example that comes to mind is that it was okay for women to do heavy labor during World War II (think of “Rosie the Riveter”), but when men returned from the war, women were expected to go back to being housewives and file clerks. Who says women can't do labor or drive a truck or that a man shouldn't be at home raising children? Sorry, but prejudice and narrow-mindedness are a couple of my hot buttons.

Again, it should be emphasized that there is no right or wrong decision. It comes down to doing what is best for you as an individual and for the family as a whole. Taking the right action is not always easy but usually well worth it in the long term.