Trading and having kids

[scot.mcpherson]

Quote from Sushi:

Why can't the dads make enough to pay for childcare? Trading attracts such bottom of barrel

Interesting, the opposite could also be said. Stay at home Dad's and Mom's are the cream of the parenting crop, and those who dump their kids cause they have better things to do are the bottom of the barrel.

Now please don't quote me out of context, because I am just posing the fact that the opinion isn't cut and dry. Spending time with your kids when they are young is of priceless value...However, not so if you are losing your patience with them because you have more important things to do than pay attention to them.

 

[SideShowBob]

Try to automate your trading? Then all you have to do is monitor the system (or set it up to notify you if there's a problem).

 

[Family of Man]

Quote from scot.mcpherson:

Interesting, the opposite could also be said. Stay at home Dad's and Mom's are the cream of the parenting crop, and those who dump their kids cause they have better things to do are the bottom of the barrel.

Nice going Scott, great response.

Appreciate the ideas and overall positive feedback and welcome the fact that others are in the same boat yet find a way

 

[saxon22]

There is no way around it. Wait till they go to pre-K and then give market a full time shot.

As for loving trading, be careful where that might take you. This is a job and while there are moments of glory, keep emotions out of it.

Trading is like being a professional killer. You come you aim and there are 2 outcomes. You hit, you get paid, you miss - you need to get out, the sooner the better. If you stay in the position too long the cops will get you. ..... There is not place for kids running around in this line of business.

BTW. I am a father of 2 boys (4 1/2, AND 3)

 

[dtan1e]

i have a full time job and trade my account same time, in my case i automate the stuffs in my full time job instead of my trading

 

[NihabaAshi]

Quote from dtan1e:

i have a full time job and trade my account same time, in my case i automate the stuffs in my full time job instead of my trading

Is your full time job taking care of your kids which is the theme of this thread and the conflict the OP is currently having ?

Mark

 

[NihabaAshi]

Quote from scot.mcpherson:

Interesting, the opposite could also be said. Stay at home Dad's and Mom's are the cream of the parenting crop, and those who dump their kids cause they have better things to do are the bottom of the barrel...

Lets take this further...

What about those parents that dump their kids at kindergarten, grade school, high school et cetera especially with the deterioating education system.

Isn't home schooling suppose to be the best care and education system until college?

My point is that you can't make a blanket statement that there's something wrong with parents that take their kids to day care because that also implies every thing else when parents take their kids some place while they trot off to work.

Fortunately the OP has another job and his spouse work. Therefore, they can still provide for their kids without him needing to trade for a living.

Therefore, if the OP strongly feels that daycare or a hired babysitter is not an option because he wants to be responsible for everything...

The only option is to put trading aside and wait what ever years is needed until he no long feels that conflict about his kids when he trades.

However, taking care of the kids full time than leaving to go to his full time evening/night when the spouse arrives home from her job and then trying to find time to trade...

Result is high he won't be a profitable trader unless he can completely change his trading style and use one of the other options suggested in this thread (e.g. automation trading, swing trading et cetera).

Last of all, if he has money to attempt trading for a living...

He has money to hired a baby sitter to come to his house and take care of his kids while he trades.

This will also allow him to take as many frequent breaks from trading during the trading day to spend time with his kids.

Mark

 

[Cutten]

Quote from Family of Man:

I’m a 7-year trader, basically treading water the past 3-4 years, here’s why: got two young kids (and an evening job). My wife works 9-5 while I watch the kids. Naturally I’m responsible for the little ones (ages 4 and 1) as the exchanges are trading. Being a good dad and a good trader is basically hopeless or so it seems.

I find myself being impatient, forcing trades and lacking a general point of focus as I tend to the kids. My goal is to eventually become a full time trader and ditch the decent paying evening work. Life is short. I have the confidence but no time to hone my skills.

This is my first post. I’m not looking for advice per se because being dad to handcuffs and shackles will always come first but I’m interested to know if anyone on ET has gone through this and how they may have managed. Or are you all just single, care free and without kids?

Is this a joke thread? Seriously, just hire a nanny and trade from an office.

Do you think John Paulson has his kids at the office during work hours, let alone attends to them?

 

[Cutten]

Quote from nazzdack:

1) Keep the evening job at all costs.
2) You can consider yourself lucky because if you have been trading for 7 years AND have a 4-year old, a lot of wives would have given you an ultimatum 1 or 2 years ago to either stop trading or face divorce.
3) Consider developing trading methods that are related to specific times of the day so you're not waiting for randomly occuring "signals" to appear.
4) Consider developing trading methods that are longer-term and trend-following in nature so you don't have to constantly watch the computer screen at the expense of your children.

If he follows this advice he's unlikely to make it as a trader. He's competing against people who aren't exhausted from an evening job, people whose "evening job" is spending time reviewing their trades and strategies so they can plan for the next session, people whose can trade the most lucrative times of day not the most convenient, people who can trade the most profitable timeframes and methods, not ones restricted to their househusband downtime.

This guy has to decide - either he takes trading seriously and is 100% committed to making it work, no BS compromises or distractions, or he quits now and finds a real job. 7 years of half-assed effort gets you nothing, he would have been far better off doing 1 year full-time than this part-time nonsense.

 

[Cutten]

Quote from ElCubano:

Madel-brotha his best option would be to stop trading. 7 years trading and his reason for not making money are he has to babysit. Sorry I know you don't want to hear this, but if you stop now and focus your energy elsewhere, you'd probably be better off....peace...I ain't putting you down, i'm trying to lift you up

I agree. IMO the original poster doesn't have the commitment to make it in this profession, and would be far better off - financially, emotionally, maritally - by quitting and just getting a regular career with a steady paycheque and where work stops at 5pm.