Has anyone left a good job to be a SAHP?

[RedorBlack]

DH and I both have good jobs which are demanding, but DH is miserable in his and the DC (5 & 2) are in childcare 50 hours a week which means no after schools clubs, trips to the park etc can happen in the week. They are fed at the childminder picked up at 6pm and in bed at 7 ready to be up and out the door at 7:30 the next morning. Family life is strained.

We have worked out the my salary will just about cover our outgoings (only just, it will mean budgeting hard for a few years) so seriously considering DH being a SAHP.

One way or another DH needs to get out of his job, it is starting to affect his mental health and his happiness means more than the extra money.

I am nervous about this though does anyone have any similar experience or advice?

Can’t he apply for a different job? More local and normal hours? 9-5

What does he do?

His role is very niche to his specific company (effectively 4 different roles bolted together) so lots of transferable skills but not clear alternative jobs so he would end up taking a heavy pay cut if he took a 9-5 normal job.

Childcare bill is currently around £1700 p month

I did and it’s the best decision we’ve made. It’s a little easier as DH we have a decent income from family business which I help out with occasionally (although I’m now being more involved as DC are getting older). It’s a scary choice but it doesn’t need to be a decision for life. Could he do it for 12 months and then decide whether or not he’d like to go back into work?

I should add he has talked about being a SAHD since before dc1 was born.

I did. I walked away from over £80k / year with huge potential for the future.

From a personal point of view it's been both very difficult and very rewarding. We now run our own successful businesses which eases the financial impact of our decision, but I've struggled with the loss of my identity outside the home. I'm glad we came to that decision and with hindsight I'd do it again, but it's not all sunshine and roses (far from it).

Thank you for sharing your stories. Ami I think we are in the same place, constantly juggling childcare and drop offs with jobs that demand we work late or have trips away, sooner or later it is going to fail and that worries me every day.

We knew that going back to my previous job wouldn't be an option, as neither of us wanted to have our kids raised entirely by a nanny. I walked away from a six-figure salary, but luckily after a year SAH I have started to find a way to use my old skills for part-time freelance work, with much more flexibility.