Mum-of-three Kathleen Hamilton can run a household with military precision, effectively juggling school and kindy drop-offs with cooking, cleaning and mountains of washing. But when it came to the 42-year-old finding a paying job after eight years of raising kids, even the local supermarket didn't see her as a suitable employee.

"That was when I got really upset and down about it," recalls Kathleen, who prior to becoming a mum enjoyed roles in administration and sales.

"It was a job as a grocery assistant, and when I asked about it at the checkout, without saying in so many words, she told me it was more of a male role." . . .