A new mother reached out to her mom for help with childcare so she could return to work after her maternity leave. Her mother, now 64, had been a homemaker since 1992 and had not been part of the workforce since then. However, she declined, stating that she had already raised her children and was not willing to take on the responsibility again. She also suggested that if her daughter truly wanted a baby, she should consider staying home as she had done,
allowing her partner to be the sole provider—just like a “traditional” family. For this mother, staying home was not financially viable. As the primary breadwinner, she needed to return to work to support their small family. Living in a one-bedroom apartment in an expensive city, she and her partner were already struggling to save for a larger space for their growing child. When she explained their situation,