I skimmed a good chunk of this article and have to say-- I do wonder if a lot of the problems the women faced couldn't have been addressed or worked through with a marriage counselor. Or if people had been honest with themselves and their spouses.
Change in any relationship requires a lot of communication, a lot of give and take. I have to be honest; I worked in child care in the years before having my son. That was my profession and I did well in it, and I have left that profession by choice to focus on my family. I don't love the housework part of it, but isn't there something intrinsic to nearly *every* job that someone doesn't care for? I do the stuff I don't care for out of that same work ethic that I had when I was running my own preschool. A strong work ethic is essential to any job, whether it be a CEO or a homemaker. For now, I work on supplementing my son's education and keep the house and garden, volunteer at his school when it's in session. This fall I will be a substitute teacher at my son's old preschool. (Interestingly enough, it is not steady work, but daily pays more than running my own preschool did!)
I have more to give my family in my present state than I did when I was running my own business, and we are all happier for it. It makes life better for both my husband and son. Not because it's my 'job' to do what is sometimes considered 'women's work' but because there's less stress when Kiddo is sick-- it's already a given that I will be able to stay home with him. The housework gets done in the day and my husband and I can better enjoy our evenings together as a family.
I have also seen the women I worked for as a nanny deal with the struggle of re-entering the work force and know that for professional women, they do often take the hit described in the article. This wasn't a surprise. One mom I know had to start her own social change business consulting company and travel three days a week from Portland to Seattle to teach social change business with a co-teacher in order to regain some of her credentials and get her resume back up to snuff. She did this for two years and yes, it did take a toll on her family.
Overall, I think acceptance is the only answer if one really wants any sort of answer. Accepting where we are in life, the choices that we made to get there, and that all choices have pros and cons. Some are more difficult to deal with than others, some are more rewarding than others. Every woman has to do what's best for herself AND her family as a whole. I believe we make *that* particular decision when we choose to have a child. Once I had my son, it wasn't just about me any longer-- it became about us.
ETA: I have to agree with Doris's comment. It was just what I was thinking.. Why aren't there these sorts of 'warning' articles directed at stay at home dads and the experience they might have returning to work when the kids are older?