But as far as I can tell, she wasn't aiming this at all mothers, just a select very well off few. And it makes sense (I would have thought) that once the children grow up and leave home, they'd probably be happier if they did have something else to fill their days.

But on the subject of mums working, it did me no harm that my mum worked part time in a factory when I was a kid. It set me a good example. I was taught the value of working for your money.

Yes work can be a drag but it provides a routine and a structure which requires motivation and some discipline. In families where for generations there has never been that structure, things can go badly wrong.

I see this in the young people I support who have no concept of how to behave in order to make themselves more attractive to a potential employer. I agree it would help if there were actually more jobs out there but it's sad that so many people I encounter seem not to have a single idea where to start or even a basic understanding of what work is.