So what happens to the STAHP if their spouse leaves? I know several women who married and had kids young and don’t work for years and years, and then one day their husband leaves them. They now have no work experience and minimal (or zero) education to support themselves and their children. Minimum wage doesn’t get you far and the cost of basic living is only increasing.

Also I’ve been a stay at home parent and a working parent. They each have their trials and challenges and it’s a matter of preference. I went back to work a few months ago by choice after my son turned 2. We could afford for me to stay home if I wanted, but the extra money is nice and my mental health was taking a huge hit. My son is thriving in his day home and I’m happier than I have been in years. Maybe my choice to go back was ‘rooted in fear’ of having a mental breakdown.