There's definitely some condescending judgment when highly educated women choose to do so. But it doesn't stop the women since many of them married highly educated men that they met in medical school, business school, or law school and they can't sustain 2 demanding jobs and still have kids. The NY Times in particular likes to profile such couples. I know you're right, there are definitely people who want to shame women who become stay-at-home parents, just like they shame men who choose to do this. It's very anti-feminist to do this, equally as bad as when women weren't allowed to open bank accounts and pursue "respected" jobs in professions like law and business. Women have always worked outside the home, especially women of color, but society likes to pretend "elite" women have only been homemakers for centuries. Anyhow, I enjoyed your essay and wish you all the best as you forge the right path for you and your family. I hope your kids (and mine) feel free to pursue any option that works for them. That's what I promote to my daughters and why I lobby to make sure employers accommodate working parents. We need to leave a better work environment for the next generation of women and men. Here's my take on the whole working mom situation: https://aninjusticemag.com/5-reasons-why-i-work-outside-the-home-even-though-i-dont-need-to-34486c95e67d