Question, why 12 or 18 months? Why not 4-5 years until the child starts going to school? Or 17-18 years until they graduate high school? And what stops someone from taking time off and finding another job, remote or otherwise, while still getting paid from the first job. I worked with a lady who talked it over with her husband and they figured out that with the cost of child care, the cost of a car (car, maintenance, taxes, gas, insurance, etc,), food (they ate out a lot because she worked), she was working 40 hours a week for about $120.00 a month. She was a great worker, I was sad to see her leave. I know 2 other families where both parents worked, had children and one of the parents quit working to take care of them. Yes, they had to cut back. They got together with a couple of other families, both mothers in this case, but it could have been the dads. and home schooled the children, I think there were 7 or 8 kids total. The 2 girls I know were straight A students and graduated Summa Cum Laude from college. Was it easy, heck no, but was it worth it, they will tell you absolutely yes.
Not a new Proposal.