To give up work?

[Workerbee1]

I have two DC (4 & 2) and work part time - 3 days per week. It is a demanding job (solicitor) and I end up having to check emails/ do bits of work on my days off. It is reasonably but not highly paid.
My DH has recently been promoted and given a big pay rise too. He now earns 10 times my (part time) salary.
However, he is now expected to travel more, work longer hours for meetings etc. This means that Monday - Friday everything else is down to me. I feel I am always chasing my tail.
With his new salary I do not need to work, we have hired in a cleaner to do "his share" and outsource ironing. If you add in childcare, travel costs etc I basically work for nothing (I know this isn't the point, costs ought to be shared and my DH definitely sees it this way).
I am also disillusioned with work. Before children I was on a good career path but having children and going part time has destroyed that. Even if I went back full time I feel I am behind my peers. My job is just ok, I don't love it.
My DH would never suggest i give up work but he has always said it is up to me. I have reservations as I like having financial independence (and have heard enough stories about SaHMs being shafted) and I worked hard to get to this point. I feel guilty about giving it up.

Well I know plenty of intelligent women who gave up work and when the kids are at secondary school think they will go back to work and they're struggling to get retail jobs and are bored shitless and frustrated.

You say you're not cut out for the SAHM life. Might be different if you were desperate to be a sahm but I think you'd be crackers. You could struggle getting back into it in a few years time. And of course there's the sad, unspoken fact of the possibility of you and your dh splitting up in the future. I'm with Xenia on this one, don't give up your earning power and make yourself reliant on a man. Ive seen too many posts on the relationships board here over the years. Nobody ever thought it would happen to them....I'm sure plenty will say it's scaremongering but I think you need to consider it.

I'd carry on how you are for now, outsource as much as you can. Could you get an au pair with your dh's pay rise? When the kids are older you might want to increase your hours and concentrate on your career. Which is what I did and I'm thankful I stayed working (part time) when dc were little.

I gave up work to look after the DCs (was articled at the time but hated it) - I re-trained and did some p/t roles. Went back F/T to a career when youngest was five - now earn 10 times DH! No regrets!

I had a 15 month break due to MH issues and that was hard enough to get back in (also professional career) Can you look at putting the little one in nursery and use the day to explore freelance options?