I retired at 41 to spend time with my grandkids. I supplemented my income with part-time work.

After more than 20 years in the British Army, I looked around and realized both kids had grown up and gotten themselves partners. Although divorced from their mom, I’d always been in their lives but had missed so much of them growing up during my service.

When my daughter Chantelle announced I was going to be a grandad at 41, I decided I didn’t want to miss out on the next generation. I couldn’t afford to give up work entirely but was determined to find a way.

Some months later, when Daisy pushed her little nose into the world, I instantly fell in love and knew I wanted to spend as much time as possible with her. I handed in my notice at my removal job, and four weeks later, I found myself unemployed, with minimal savings, and looking for somewhere to live close to my children.

I didn’t have as much money, but I loved spending time with my grandkids

At first, my military pension was my only income. It wasn’t much, but it allowed me the basics, and I loved spending time with Daisy. Over the next seven years, another four grandchildren came along, as both of my children provided me with bundles of joy.

During that time, my standard of living stayed the same. My kids knew I’d moved close to help them and offered me a room in their homes, but I stayed in my rented room to allow all of us space. I thought many times I’d better get a job, but every time, one of my kids announced there was another one coming, so I stayed as the full-time babysitter, did school runs, outings, and went to parks, and all the other wonderful stuff I’d missed out on with my own.

Eventually, though, as they started nursery and school, work beckoned. Yet, having enjoyed so much freedom and time with the little ones, I was adamant I wasn’t going to work long hours; I wasn’t ready to sacrifice my family time just for a little more money.

I worked part-time at a supermarket before finding my real passion

A part-time job stacking shelves in my local supermarket was my first wage in almost 10 years. I’d forgotten what it felt like to see money going into my bank, but at the same time, I realized it wasn’t for me. I needed to do something I had a passion for. My trusty old Seiko, purchased many years before, was becoming not so trusty and gave me an idea. How hard could it be to fix a watch?

I watched a few YouTube videos that made it look easy, and after a few months at the supermarket, I’d saved enough to buy the tools to service my own watch.

Obviously, it’s anything but easy, but with my Seiko in bits and me crying over YouTube videos of skilled watchmakers instantly fixing broken timepieces, I’d become hooked.

I worked part-time at the supermarket for more than three years, and those wages and my pension allowed me to live comfortably, spend loads of time with the grandkids, and attend a yearlong watchmaking course in my local adult education center.

Fixing watches with my own hands brings me joy

The feeling I had when I finally saw my Seiko working, thanks to my own hands, was something I’ll long remember. The feeling I had when I serviced a friend’s watch was akin to fear, and the feeling I had when I got paid the first time for fixing a watch was joyous.

I left the supermarket and concentrated on working during school hours repairing watches. It’s a continuous journey of discovery, and though the money is often better it’s not as steady, so occasionally, I’ll go back to the supermarket. However, now 61, sitting at my desk in my two-bedroom flat with one of my grandchildren as we take a watch apart, I know it was absolutely the perfect time to retire.