Re: do i have to?
Heres my take on the whole thing. If you are mature enough to have a baby, you are likely also mature enough to know yourself and what you can handle.
Me? I had a career, a nicely profitable one, in trading floor technology. It required all my attention and ability. I KNEW that I could be a good worker/earner OR a good mother. I did not/do not have it in me to be good at BOTH.
If there were something that I could do without having to dedicate myself so completely to it, maybe I'd work. Actually, I HAVE been looking lately to do something from home.
BUT my first priority is my boyz. They are my universe. At age 7.6 and 4 I think this will be the case for a least a few more years.
But there ARE women who can very successfully handle both a career and a lovely family wife. How I WISH I were one of those!! :) I admire them. I also feel bad for them sometimes...like when I hear about how baby started to walk today and they missed it...or when baby calls the au-pair or babysitter "mama"....but those cases are pretty rare, I've seen a number of those "super-moms"...I just aint one of em.