Losing yourself

I read a lovely little article recently by a bloke who stayed home to look after his child for a year, while his wife went back to work.
Apart from the usual observations - hey, it isn't all coffee and cake with the other mums! - it contained a passage that still resonates with me:
"I felt as if I was becoming invisible. But then I realised one very important point - that it wasn't about me. As a parent, I'm meant to be invisible. It's the child's turn to step onto the stage, into the limelight. My role was backstage - quiet, unassuming, with no dreams of glory."
He's absolutely right, of course.
Being a stay-at-home parent means you become invisible to the world. It's a point I've trying to explain to people and they never seem to get it. Your hopes, your dreams, your job, your life gets put on complete hold.