Why I quit my job when I became a Dad.

Family > Work

When I became a dad, I was working between 50 to 60 hours per week. I liked my job—it was intense but enjoyable, and the startup I was working for was focused on a mission that resonated with me. But it didn’t matter.

When my daughter arrived, I knew things had to change. I wanted to spend more time with my wife and daughter, and I wanted to figure it out ASAP.

Fortunately, the company I worked for offered generous paternity leave (6 weeks), and I let them know I would be taking the total time available to spend with my girls. The time was sweet, and I enjoyed it every single day. Of course, we didn’t do a lot—when you’ve got a newborn baby and a partner recovering from birth, there are a lot of down days—but it was perfect.

I got a small taste of the good life, and I was hooked. I got used to having breakfast, lunch, and dinner as a family. We went for daily walks in the park by our home and were happy to walk slowly, smell the flowers, and enjoy each other’s company. I started to play pickleball in the mornings and loved that I didn’t need to rush home to start the workday. Life was good.

Like all good things, paternity leave ended, and I was back to the grind. While I was fortunate to work from home, allowing me lots of flexibility throughout the day, I missed the long walks and meals we had together. 

So, after much contemplation, I decided to quit my job in pursuit of slowing things down. I made that decision a little over a year ago and can honestly say that was one of the best decisions of my entire life.

I now work seasonally as a tax preparer from December to mid-April and write personal finance articles as a freelance writer the rest of the time. My work is remote, flexible, and I am in complete control of my schedule at all times. 

I still get daily walks and meals with my girls, and I have spent an incredible amount of time with my daughter in her first year of life. I’m what you could call an involved dad. I know how to care for my daughter, I change diapers like it’s going out of style, I know her different cries, I know the foods she likes and dislikes, I know how to care for her, and most importantly, she knows me. 

So, yeah, I’m writing for the dads and moms that know they want to be home with their family but can’t quite figure out how to make it work. I want to help you discover a new way of living that puts family first, above all else. It is possible, and you can do it, but there will surely be sacrifices along the way.