Devaluing Children and Motherhood

In July 2023, I walked away from academia and tenure after 15 years as a professor. This decision in and of itself was not so unusual. It is the 21st century, and plenty of people change careers, after all—especially in this post-2020 age of the Great Resignation. What shocked both friends and strangers alike, however, was what I decided to do instead. Instead of opting for the more typical alternative career choice for ex-academics, such as a consultant or UX researcher, I decided to stay at home full time (aside from some freelance writing and editing) to homeschool my children. “What a loss to the profession,” several friends and former colleagues commented. A couple of friends made tradwife jokes, all in good humor, about my becoming a stereotypical housewife.

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