[Tapioca]

This is a good thread and is one of the reasons why I continue to come back here after all these years.

I’m 40 years old and have jumped industries twice in the past 5 years. I have gone through a similar situation as the OP. For background, I spent 13 years in the public sector and had a defined benefit pension, benefits, job security. However, once I became a father 7 years ago, I started to grow disillusioned with my professional development and asked myself, “Is this all I’m going to be?”

I see that many here are preaching safety and risk-aversion, but I also think that the world our parents had is vastly different than the world we have today. At some point, you have to take calculated risks. I have switched industries twice, all the while putting two kids through daycare and trading up our home.

It’s tough as the single income earner, I get that. I firmly believe that any decisions relating to your career have to have the full support of your spouse. On the other hand, your spouse also needs to share all of the burdens that are necessary to run a household in the modern age. There is significant value in having a stay at home parent, but there is also significant value in having two working parents today as well – not just from a dual income perspective, but to provide role models for your kids and also to have the ability to take calculated risks when it is necessary in your life. Whatever you do going forward, I would encourage you to have a conversation with your spouse about ways in which she can transition back into the workforce. It’ll take the pressure off of you and it will probably allow your wife to grow mentally and professionally as well.

I would not be so dismissive of the notion that your wife will not make enough money to pay for child care expenses (at this point in time, you only require before/after school care which is significantly less than daycare for toddlers). Even if your wife is netting a thousand or so a month after child care and transportation expenses, having her earn income is beneficial for your household in the long run as she’ll be contributing to CPP which will increase your overall income in retirement. You will also increase your buying power should you ever decide to upgrade your home in the future. The labour market for less experienced people is still very strong and you’ll find that organizations are still very much after people who show up on time and can at least put two sentences together and will easily pay 50K per year for those skills.