Q My wife and I both work. We have two young kids, and we’ve decided one of us should stay home for the next few years while they acclimate to grammar school. My wife’s career is the more lucrative, so we’ve decided I’ll be the one to put my career on hold. Do you think employers will view this negatively when I return to the workforce?

A While stay-at-home dads are still not the norm, they’re not the novelty they were 25 years ago. The gender bending in “Mr. Mom” now seems as dated as the sexism in “9 to 5.” If this is what you want to do, then have no worries. The biggest adjustment issue won’t be re-entering the workforce in a few years, but navigating school pickup and the nanny wars in Central Park!

Regardless of gender, the key for any stay-at-home parent who intends to return to work is to stay current with what’s going on in your industry, and to keep on top of technology, trends and skills. Maintain contacts so you don’t just disappear for several years then expect people to immediately return your calls when you re-emerge. If there’s work you can do part-time, courses you can take or industry events you can attend periodically, then these things may also help when it’s time to return to work. While obviously the point of staying home is to focus on the kids, maintaining a connection to your once-and-future industry may make the transition to staying home that much easier for you, and thus better for your children. Now about those Mommy and Me classes . . .

Q How can I determine what careers best suit the urban studies degree I just earned? You’ll probably say I should have checked this out before completing the coursework, but it just so happens that my union paid for the bulk of my schooling with the proviso that I join their leadership program and take the related major, and I jumped at the opportunity to get a college degree at my advanced age.

A You don’t say how old you are, but I’ll take the reference to your “advanced age” to mean you’re somewhere beyond middle age. So let me offer my congratulations on going back to school and getting your degree, which is a meaningful accomplishment regardless of whether you apply it to your career.

Since your union recommended you get the degree, I’m sure they also can offer advice about career options. That aside, the first and often best place to go for advice about career opportunities is the school department where you earned your degree. Professors and career development officers can give you firsthand advice, as well as job leads. So my strong suggestion for all students interested in exploring career options is to start there.