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Where is Justice for Women?
As a white woman, almost middle-aged, feminist, homeschool mom and new divorcee, I ask myself this question daily. Through the process of my divorce, I was in contact with a lot of women, many with similar stories. Some were stay-at-home moms. Some were homeschool moms. Some were working and homeschooling. All were religious and all had been married for quite some time-at least 15 years.
The divorced women I knew best were married for 25 years each. They were both Mormon women, both stay-at-home moms. They both fearfully decided to leave their husbands after many years of neglect, emotional abuse and incredible sacrifice.
Expecting to be a stay at home mom brings a lot of challenges. All of the unspoken agreements about who will make the money and who will care for the children are ingrained in us from the very beginning. Although I always worked, I worked from home, in order to stay home with the kids. I tried working part time outside the home, but there was no cooperation on my husband’s side to facilitate that kind of independent movement.
I shopped at 5 in the morning before he left for work. I took my runs before he left as well. In the afternoons, I taught and ran kids to their activities, all the while grading and prepping for the next day’s schooling. My entire life was swallowed up in raising kids and caring for a family, including my…
