Why do you think Laura chooses not to return to her parents home after Nick leaves her? If you were in her position what do you think you'd have done? How would her circumstances be different today?

After Nick leaves her, Laura's parents encourage her to move back home. She considers it, but never acts on the offer. Why do you think this is? If you were in her position (three young children and no money coming in) what do you think you'd have done? How would her circumstances be different today?

Laura knew her mother was not her greatest supporter. Her father had already told her that her mother couldn't deal with a baby in the house. I can't imagine that she could handle three young children. It would be a house of conflict. Her mother was not well.

She knew her life would not have been any easier moving back home. And she had pride and was determined to make it on her own.

Today things somewhat different today. Nick would be required to pay child support (of course, that doesn’t always mean men do pay it). In many ways they would still be difficult, as Laura had so little education, and the costs of childcare would have made any job she obtained difficult to make ends meet.

It is difficult enough to raise children the best way you hope without the influence of people you cannot trust to make good decisions. After never getting over their lack of compassion and understanding for her earlier predicament does not make for a happy and healthy home life.

I was surprised that she didn't return to her parents' home for support when they offered her and her children a place to stay. While I don't think she would have been happy - that mother/daughter relationship was sure to become toxic again - her situation was so tenuous that I would have thought she'd seek a safe haven. I applaud her for deciding to make her own way and for striving to create a good life for her kids.

Laura probably felt like her parents would look at it like another disappointment in her life, especially back then when it was less acceptable to be a single mother. I probably would’ve done the same thing if it was in the same period. These days, it is more widely accepted if you are a single mom

Laura's decision to survive on her own was difficult for her but courageous. She did have the love and support of Nick's parents for her and her three children. Also, expecting her parents to make different decisions for her if she came home after a failed marriage would be unrealistic. Her mother was not fit to be around children on a daily basis, showing mental instability at times in the story. I found it especially ironic that her mother was gleeful telling Laura that her granddaughter had a child out of wedlock. Not surprised that Laura was hurt by this. Despite the uncaring attitudes of her parents, Laura was good to them, invited them to California and helping them after the hurricane. With her husband supporting her, she maintained contact with her parents and was there for them. More than they deserved, in my opinion, but choosing the high road was a great decision for her.

after her shame of unwed pregnancy, this embarrassment was too much to face. She knew she had to work it out on her own and be independent. Laura knew her parents wern't sympathetic.

I can’t imagine why she would have returned home. Her parents had created a rift that would only be exacerbated if she showed up divorced with three children. They simply did not accept her for who she was. Laura was right to keep her family together in a loving environment, and her financial struggles gave her a determination and the self confidence to be truly independent. I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to live in her parents’ environment. The world has changed a lot in 50 years, and it has done so largely because women refused to accept the norms that condemned them. (And adequate birth control methods didn’t hurt either.)

Perhaps she would have faced too many we told you sos" and probably wouldn't have had a great deal of support. I think she realized she needed to workthis out on her own, to gain more strength and confidence. I would not have moved back to those parents and today, she'd have much more community support and guidance.

I agree with PinkLady that Laura would not have had support. As tough as it was, Laura made the right decision not to move back home because I think her mom would have tried to micro-manage both Laura and Laura’s children. Laura would not have had the freedom to become the strong, kind, caring mother that she became and my hunch is, her mom would have severely limited and criticized Laura’s dates.

She probably knew her parents were not sympathetic and would not help her.

Her relationship with her mother hadn't been the best. I don't think she needed the criticism that would have resulted if she had moved back home. She did what she needed to do to survive and provide for her children. It may not have been easy, but everything turned out okay.

By this time in her life I think Laura knew full well that her parents, especially her mother, would have made her life more miserable than what she was facing away on her own. I also suspect that she didn't want to expose her children to that toxic environment.
If I had parents like Laura back then I would have made the same decision.