I like the balance of three days in paid work, and four days outside, better than five and two. DH had some stupid hide-bound ideas of why I should go part-time (because I earn less and 'women have stronger bonds with their children'*) which I put him right on, but made the decision to go part-time anyway. I like having full days with DD which are not hectic weekend days getting the shopping done and sharing the world with everyone else who works Mon-Fri.
I don't really feel like I've been condictioned into it by a paternalistic society, but maybe I have and just don't care. DH's contribution is that he takes DD to nursery on my working days, so I get a head start, I collect her but he is always home at a sensible hour. We share all other things domestic, bar cooking (he doesn't cook, but then I've never cleaned either of the loos in this house).
On the other hand, we have quite a lot of part-time male workers at my place, the numbers are increasing all the time, and I even have one friend whose husband works in the private sector (gasp) and is part-time to complement her part-time hours (I think she does the bulk of the paid work, in fact).
I doubt Rhubarb is getting at you with the full-time mother comment btw mozhe, only because that statement is EXACTLY what I tell people. It clarifies things - I work for money part-time. I work for love the rest of the time (when not sleeping or pissing about online). I am a mother ALL the time (this is a reaction to the full-time mother tag, not that I have a sensible alternative to that one).
- so you want me to compromise my career even more?
** and you want to compromise your bond with your child even more?!