One working parent

Don't underestimate the pressure and stress of being the sole breadwinner, which often leads to resentment. This is a good thread to read: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3524965-Struggling-as-breadwinner

Have you factored in that you would lose funded hours at nursery for your 1 year old?

Is he only a year into his apprenticeship? Your opening post suggests he's been on site for years and years, and then he still has 3 years left to go? But t'interweb suggests it is 3-4 years to get fully qualified? Faster if you've got other training and experience [like dropping out earlier I assume] that means you can be fast tracked.

It may be an answer to transfer his apprenticeship to a new employer and get off building sites? Once he is fully qualified he's far more valuable to a small growing business than low cost labour on a big building site.

“He has the illusion that working and making money online is the way forward because so many other people do it so why can’t he?”

OP, it really is an illusion! There really aren’t many people making money online, other than a very few social media influencers and Mr Amazon. If he hates his job, then perhaps he would be better reducing to three days a week rather than giving up altogether - it’s always easier to get a job from a job. That way, he would be contributing but he would have two days a week to think about what he wants to do. It’s all too easy to give up work and drift - and the current employment market is unforgiving.

I couldn't find it anywhere on the thread, but wouldn't losing the funded childcare hours for working parents and the tax free childcare be an issue regarding your family budget?

It would mean 100s of £ to find each month if you want your 1 year old to attend several days a week...

You will save more money if DC doesn't go to nursery at all. If he is at home he can look after them.

Actually, she would be legally protecting her dh.

she’s the earner, has the assets. If they don’t marry she gets to keep them, if they marry he is entitled to half of everything.

in their case her protection is not getting married.

I really don’t see how his sex makes a difference. But anyway he should protect himself by continuing to work in case you split up, same as if he was a woman

I don’t think I’d do this. The economy is precarious. You have a mortgage. You aren’t married. I think a family needs more than a 4 day a week income. If he’s at home I’d be upping my hours to full time. And I’d still expect him to work part time on top as well as doing the lions share of the housework.

I don't work, my husband does we have 4 kids

Out of house, and at work are different things though aren't they? 8-3 is going to be ambitious unless he's wanting to go part time (which is fine, if it works for both of you).
If he doesn't like the lack of control, then ecommerce isn't going to suit him (not that passive income really exists). Nor would being at home full time with a toddler. If he likes predictability he needs a regular old 9-5.
From what you've said, I wouldn't be encourage him to quit without a proper plan. I would be worried he will fall into a hole and not be able climb back out. I hate to say it, I'll probably get flamed, but he wouldn't be the first man to suddenly decide he wants to be a SAHD once the kids are settled into school and nursery.
I would tread carefully, protect yourself and your finances and only support him through a properly workable plan.

What sort of hours does he work currently?

It's sounds like he is unhappy with his employer rather than his trade. My DH runs a building company. As a self employed electrician he absolutely could work part time. In his profession I would be seeking employment within the same trade to complete his qualification then looking at setting up alone.

Agree you need to make sure he's protected - if anything happens to you he doesn't own the house and doesn't have an income. Make sure you can afford to keep his pension going for those reasons as well.

I think quitting a job to do 'whatever' isn't a great plan but quitting a job that's damaging your mental health and leading nowhere you want to go is fair enough. I would either lean into the SAHP if you can manage on your salary, pull the baby from daycare to save the money and ensure your partner is up for doing meal prep, dropoffs etc etc. Or have a very short period of time before he needs to get a new job. His business idea is honestly terrible so put that aside and think again.

Gender is irrelevant here as I'd give the same advice to anyone - but make sure you have great insurance as being one person in charge of 4 people is a lot of pressure and you need to know that if you get sick/hurt/etc your family will be okay.

Hmm - going rate for an electrician in my part of the world [UK] is £300 a day. And that was for some outside lights to be installed, not some sort of deadly complicated smart home set up.

I'd not describe that as minimum wage but accept that as he's not qualified he's probably getting the bare minimum especially if his employer is picking up the tab for him to study and exam fees.

After this length of time, I think you would be mad to let him drop out a second time without the safety net of a completed qualification. By all means make a plan but to be self employed, to build on what he knows, to drive his own agenda and job.

@Virgovirgo have you had a look what jobs are going in your local hospitals? Compas and medirest employ the support staff in my region. You can do from 15/20 hours a week. There's things like linen drivers, as well as the usual porter jobs. If he's on minimum wage, he'd get a better rate, his CV wouldn't be blank and it might fit around the children. Start to look through jobs, his skills are transferable. There's garden centers, retail (even the likes of Screwfix) etc.

Yes - I work and my partner does not. He is effectively a house husband. It works well for us. I can't easily take time out of work to do errands, childcare, car stuff, housework. I earn much more than he did. He is happy too. Win-win.