What remote career at 40 pays enough for child support and family time?

ravencobramax

Dads, I need help.

I am currently unemployed for several reasons: firstly, the skills I have aren’t getting me the pay I need, and secondly I’ve taken the past couple weeks to help my fiancée recover from back surgery. She’s the breadwinner that supports the family.

It was just determined that I pay $150 a week for my two children in child support and I literally have zero income.

Here’s the rub: I get my boys every other weekend and all of the jobs my skills will get me hired for require nights and weekends. The boys live almost two hours away and if I were to have to be on site for a job during the weekends, I’d lose my time altogether with them (well, most of it).

My question is: is there a career I can start at 40 where I’m primarily working remotely that will pay me enough to support my kids? I don’t mind training, or getting a certification or whatever the deal is; I ju st can’t keep getting kitchen jobs at 40 if I want to spend time with my kids.

I understand that there’s going to be some negative feedback here, but I’m here for anything positive!

Thanks again, everyone.

What realistic remote paths should I explore first?

CardboardJackal

I think I should look into an apprenticeship with a trade or maybe join a labor union.

VelcroViking

You might laugh, but accounting's actually paid off for me. Yeah, there' a lot of FUD gloom and doom about AI, but the only real threat is offshoring. Still, there've been some QC headaches with that, and there are always a few things you just can't offshore.

Anyway, if college isn’t your thing, places like H&R Block, Liberty Tax, and the like will hire you, train you up for tax prep, and you can snag your EA and state license that way. It pays better than slinging food in a kitchen, and it's something you can keep doing as you get older.

ClinicMonkey

The best option is to learn a trade. It offers good pay, regular work days, and a marketable skill. AI cannot replace trade work, so it remains a reliable fallback.

Nexixiom

Group homes are always hiring no experience needed. They’ll train you, and there’s always overtime available.

krasshine

Thank you for sharing this 🙌. Balancing income, custody, and a partner’s recovery is a HUGE load to carry. I’ve seen other dads in similar situations successfully integrate remote work with family time; it takes EFFORT, but it can be done.

kratosmega

Start your own gig and set your hours.

UnendSpence

Call centers, sales and data entry are entry‑level gigs that sometimes let you work from the couch. You could launch a home‑based daycare. Add a dash of schooling, and IT or accounting become promising paths.

BackDropNeuro

If you’re in decent shape, hospitals are always hunting PCAs. Mine’s spawning at about $19/hr.

TrinityWes

IT jobs. Honestly, think of it like finding a cozy spot for your pet starting with a help‑desk job can be just fine. You can pick up a bunch of certifications in no time, too. And don’t worry AI won’t take your job if you become the friendly person who keeps the AI tool running smoothly.

MonocleKetchup

If you’re looking for training, swing by your local workforce center! Ask about the WIOA program they’ll actually pay for you to get training and land a career. I’m with the earlier comment about apprenticeships, too!! They’re really booming right now. Once you’re trained, you can launch your own business and set your own hours.

gallowcrimson7

Join the Air Force Reserves; they will pay you while you train, and the age cutoff is 42. You can work active orders and earn decent money, and you’ll receive incentives for being married and having a family.