ChiKat

My husband is always a little uncomfortable telling people that I work part-time. He's especially uncomfortable telling people that I do most of the cleaning, cooking and laundry. It's so…1950s. He considers me a feminist, so he has a hard time reconciling his view of feminism with the fact that I own a book called "The Simple Art of Napkin Folding" (and, worse, that I USE the book when I throw a dinner party).

He wants people to see me the way he sees me, as someone he considers intelligent, creative and adventurous. But when he mentions that I don't work full-time, he gets the sense that people assume I am a Stepford wife.

I believe that we, as a society, are wrestling with the conflicting demands from work and home-life. We're trying to find the right balance at a time when two-incomes are almost always required, but don't always make everyone happy.

A few generations from now, I believe we'll have found the right balance between bread-winner and parent. But until then, I think it's worth pointing out that it's not just the women who get a lot of judgment about their career and parenting choices.