I’ll Never Be A Stay-at-Home Parent, and Neither Should You

Let’s talk about “why” stay-at-home parenting is a “high-risk” move

Let’s be clear — I am not, under any circumstances, calling stay-at-home parents “lazy”.

This is not a post that is intended to judge a person’s decisions, but to point out the financial implications of staying at home long-term (as well as highlighting some alternatives and finding a middle ground).

In general, I’d be very hesitant to recommend any financial model that leaves one person defenseless and reliant if “life happens”.

First, as a preface…in the professional community (specifically in the highest tax brackets), I rarely come across folks who are married to househusbands or housewives (especially folks who are under age 50).

I’d suspect there are a few reasons for this; in general, we tend to be attracted to people with similar values; people who tend to place a high emphasis on a career often choose a partner with similar values (statistically, about 40% of doctors marry another physician).

If we’re honest, doctors have access to just about anybody, yet they still choose each other.

Secondly, the high cost of living has made it extremely difficult for families to live…