Joint Accounts
How Do I Motivate My Stay-at-Home Husband to Go Back to Work?
I’m grateful that he stayed home to care for our daughter, but now she’s in school — and we need the money
Dear Joint Accounts,
My daughter was born eight years ago, and I’ve been my family’s sole breadwinner ever since: My husband has stayed home to care for her. Now we could really use a second income. For a few years, I’ve been pushing him to go back to work — especially since our daughter now attends school with aftercare to support working parents. We live in an area with a high cost of living, and my salary barely covers our expenses, with nothing left to save for retirement or things like vacations. And forget about owning a home.
A few months ago, my husband finished a six-month coding bootcamp, but says he still doesn’t feel prepared to reenter the workforce. He wants to keep learning on his own until he feels like he’s a competitive candidate. He doesn’t even have a timeline for when he’s going to start applying for things. I know it’s a difficult transition, but how much more support should I give him? My resentment about this keeps building, and I don’t know what to do about it.
Sincerely,
