Feminism has certainly diminished (or has attempted to diminish) the position of the stay-at-home mother. Feminists have deplored those who give up careers to raise their children, as F. Carolyn Craglia has so vividly unpacked for us in Domestic Tranquility [1]. But now it seems that in some circles the role of the stay-at-home mom has become just another fashionable lifestyle.
David Mills of Touchstone Magazine writes about this trend [2] in his weblog. He makes a noteworthy point that those of us who champion stay-at-home motherhood should be careful that it should be seen as a calling rather than a lifestyle. I agree wholeheartedly. A calling has the sense of a lifelong endeavor–something that will last. A lifestyle can change as quickly as quickly as a woman’s hair…