DEAR ABBY: I am a 20-year-old college student who has found the man of my dreams. We have been dating for a year and a half and have been through a lot together. We both believe it is acceptable (and in our case, preferable) for a woman to be a stay-at-home mother and wife. I do not have a problem with having dinner on the table when he arrives home.
However, the number of people who have deemed our views "unacceptable" and "disgraceful" is astounding. I was actually spit on by a woman who accused me of being "the problem with women." She called me "weak" and a disappointment to womanhood across the nation. I'm so offended by her attack.
Am I wrong in thinking it is fine for a woman to be taken care of by her husband? Should I feel the need to be a working mom and wife? Am I too traditional for modern times? Please help me to see the whole picture. -- LUCKY LADY IN LARAMIE
DEAR LUCKY LADY: The personal attack on you was uncalled for, and the woman who spat on you was hardly a role model for liberated women across the nation. Whether you choose to try to juggle a marriage and a career is a personal decision. Not every woman is able to manage it successfully.
That said, many households in the U.S. are headed by single women, and it usually wasn't a matter of choice. That's why it's so important for women to complete their education before being married and to be qualified for a career should the need arise. And it's also why having a prenuptial agreement in place before heading for the altar is advisable.
While it isn't wrong to think it is fine for a woman to be taken care of by her husband, the truth is it doesn't always work out that way. And it couldn't hurt you to have a few years of work experience before starting a family -- just in case.