21ST CENTURY RELATIONSHIPS: Mom Decides Parenting is Not for Her and Leaves. “This morning’s TODAY Show featured a segment on a woman who chose to leave her husband and two young sons (ages 3 and 5 at the time) while on an extended research trip to Japan because she realized she didn’t want to be a mom anymore leaves my chest tight and my gut aching.” A woman who does this is a heroine of feminism. A man who does this is a louse.