"Meanwhile my wife, Debbie, had become a successful Realtor who absolutely adored her career, which quickly eclipsed mine in both enthusiasm and earnings potential. So when Carter was born, the decision about who was to take care of him was a no-brainer. Given the state of our respective careers, we decided to defy tradition and I quit my job. As far as the IRS was concerned, I became a Realtor too; I had earned my license the previous fall so I could help Debbie while she was pregnant. Officially I'm her business partner now, but all I really do is keep the books and pinch-hit for double-booked appointments.