Let’s iron out some home truths about stay-at-home mothers

The recession has forced many women with children to seek work to pay bills, sparking a backlash against stay-at-home mothers. Áilín Quinlan talks to three women about the highs and lows of both options.

HIGH mortgages and shrinking wage packets mean staying at home to look after the children is increasingly considered a luxury.

Some critics will murmur about ‘gym mummies’ enjoying morning coffees and book clubs, but increasingly, it seems, stay-at-home mums are the focus of a backlash in which derogatory attitudes are expressed in cliches like “gain a baby, lose a brain,” or “coffee morning groupie”.