no wonder some of us are a little loopy

Amy found this site. It explains a lot:

"Before the 20th century, it was rare for people to move out of the town they grew up in. You moved once: when you left your parents' house to get married. Today, according to the U.S. Census Bureau the average American will move 11.7 times in his or her lifetime, often going from one state to another. The result is that our communities have been decimated, and it's mothers who stay at home who bear the brunt of this change. The table below highlights some of the reasons why:

THEN	NOW
Women's daily work involved life-or-death issues. There was no McDonalds if you didn't cook dinner. Women's work was important to survival.	Household work still needs to be done, but no longer involves matters of life or death -- if you don't cook dinner there's always McDonald's -- so it's not recognized as being "important".
Other children lived nearby whose families you knew well. You could send your kids outside to play to have a few moments to yourself.	You're all alone -- you don't know your neighbors very well, family does not live nearby, your street is deserted during the day. It's like you and your kids are on a desert island.
Divorce was almost unheard-of.	Divorce is common. Everyone has heard horror stories of women who didn't have jobs being financially and emotionally devastated when their husbands left them. No matter how good your marriage, you can't help but feel a little vulnerable if you're not bringing in an income.
Your immediate and extended family all lived in the same town. If you had a problem -- anything from illness to spousal abuse to money -- people were right there who "had your back".	Your immediate and extended family are scattered all over the country. They don't know what's going on in your day-to-day life and couldn't help you in an emergency.
You knew the people who lived near you, most of them being relatives or people you'd known for a long time.	You don't know most of your neighbors, certainly not most people in the neighborhood. You don't feel comfortable letting your kids run around the neighborhood unsupervised.
Your friends were geographically close to you, often people you'd known your whole life.	Friends with whom you develop bonds often leave to move across the country. Just when you get to know someone with whom you click they move, often thousands of miles away.
You got public recognition for your accomplishments: people in your community knew if you were a great seamstress, had an immaculate yard, etc.	Only your husband is aware of your accomplishments (and sometimes it seems like even he doesn't notice).

In short: to be your children's primary caretaker is the most natural thing in the world; but to be alone with your children in a house all day, every day where you are the sole person available to provide for their safety, nutrition and entertainment, is totally unnatural. It tests the limits of psychological endurance."

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I'm going to continue with my day now and try not to feel too sorry for myself :-)