Two important factors here are social responses and a financial issues. Anecdotal: my wife is often the recipient of derision when she mentions she stays at hom

Two important factors here are social responses and a financial issues. Anecdotal: my wife is often the recipient of derision when she mentions she stays at home with the kids, as though she should be out working. (Personally I think her job is far harder than mine!) Similarly, we often meet people who claim to want to stay at home, but can't afford to. Meanwhile they have nice cars, iPhones, etc. In reality they're working to maintain a standard of living, not because they need to. Choices, choices.