On the flip side, I recently traveled to see my father and the experience really shook me up. He has a lot of skill and inspiration; a welder blacksmith plumber carpenter inventor in his spare time. With his raw talent he should have opened a shop and been paid for his work, but he always stuck to manual labor jobs.<p>It's easy for me to say "he should have opened a shop", but I'm also facing the same obstacles and fears that held him back. I don't want to grow old convincing myself that I was never given a break. I need to make that break for myself.
I had exactly the same thought about setting an example for my child. I took on employment recently with hindsight on the coming child (nervousness of my spouse about finances somehow getting to me), but I am really not happy with the decision. It is difficult to quit again, but really, I don't want to set this example for my son. On the other hand, maybe my son would prefer me being able to by him all the latest toys (playstations etc). Who knows :-) (And not being on steady employment of course does not imply being poor, but it certainly seems more risky).<p>I was also floored at a recent garden party meeting other parents when I learned how much it is simply taken for granted that men are away most of the time and don't get to see their kids grow up.
Counter point: doing something of your own is going to involve lots of time, so you may get to spend less of it with your child. I think that's more important than the stability factor, although that plays a roll too.
>"One day your daughter is this delicate little creature that you’re bringing home from the hospital for the first time. Then, all of a sudden she’s very close to standing on her own..."<p>And the next time you turn around she's mad that you won't let her borrow the car to go hook up with the meathead boyfriend she just told you about. It all goes by so fast.