In 2012, I retired early to become a stay-at-home dad and start my blogging journey. Meanwhile, my wife continues her career full-time, bringing significant advantages to our family. Her income ensures we don’t need to tap into our savings prematurely, and her employer-sponsored health plan covers our medical needs. Managing the home while she works has enhanced our family life immensely.
The success in our arrangement comes down to personal preference. My wife thrives in her career, enjoying the social interactions and organizational structure, while I prefer the solitude and flexibility of working from home. This difference in work style preferences keeps us both satisfied with our roles.
During the pandemic, my wife took a short break from work, but the financial and healthcare benefits, coupled with my desire to maintain my retirement, encouraged us to return to the previous setup.
My early retirement was timed with just five years into her new career following her Master’s degree. She was frequently advancing at work, which made it an exciting time for her professionally and not an ideal moment to consider retiring.
Contrastingly, I had completed a 16-year engineering career and was burnt out, eager to leave the corporate world. This significant difference in our professional satisfaction levels played a crucial role in our decisions about work and retirement.
Financially, preparing for early retirement involved careful planning. We ensured our investments could support this phase, as drawing from retirement funds or social security was not viable at our ages. Living on her income alone for a while proved to us that we could manage without my salary, which bolstered our investment confidence.
Our son being 18 months old when I retired also influenced our decision. The traditional daycare routine was taking a toll on us, and I was keen to take on the primary caregiving role, which has been deeply fulfilling.
Now, our life quality has significantly improved. I handle household duties and engage more actively with our son, alleviating stress and enhancing our family dynamics. My wife continues to excel in her career, and we both appreciate the balance we’ve achieved. As we move forward, I support her decision on when she feels it’s right to retire, respecting her fulfillment from her professional role.
