That’s who thought of when I heard about the column Sarrah Le Marquand, editor-in-chief of Stellar, Australia’s “most read” magazine, wrote for the Daily Telegraph, in which she claims it should be illegal for mothers of school-aged children to stay home.
Unlike de Beauvoir, Le Marquand is a wife and mother of two. She wrote her article in response to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that claims mothers at home represent “untapped potential” and create “potentially large losses to the economy,” a position with which Le Marquand clearly agrees.
In Canada a family can claim tax relief for a paid caregiver for their children but a man or woman cannot claim tax relief for a spouse who is a caregiver! Someone has to watch over the children, they cannot be left alone!! Best choice is the mother so she can breastfeed as needed!
Family decisions need to be left with the family. That includes whether there is a stay-at-home mom OR a stay-at-home dad. As our church leaders have said, many mothers work due to financial necessity in a variety of circumstances. We need to not judge other family arrangements from the outside.