I don't know the answer to this question, but I do know that you need to both. You must continue with your career so you can support your family, and you need to continue to build your family relationships, in order to support their goals.
What I do know is how my father, Felipe Mendoza (no JC), was able to achieve this mission. My father started his countertop business when I (the youngest) was 2 and my oldest sister was 12. He was one of the owners, the salesperson, the fabricator, and the installer.
At the age of 3, I started to join my dad on his business endeavors. I usually slept through his travel period and then once we got to our project destination, I would walk around and look at structures. And when it was lunchtime I, everyday, would ask for McDonalds, for those free toys in the Happy Meal. How he managed that I don't know?
My Father wanted to share his day with me, so he found a way, it may not have been what OSHA would like, but it made my feel privilege to be with him. I know not all professions have the time needed but allow me to continue with more opportunities he captured.
At the age of 5, I started playing T-ball at the local little league. My father of course wanting his son to be the best he could be, stepped in and volunteered to be the coach for the team. WOW, he was a vocal one. He wanted me and my teammates to know that he believed in us and would be there everyday to assure, we played the best baseball possible. I struck out every time in my first year of t-ball (??). But every single time my dad gave my words of encouragement as I cried because of my failure.
At the age of six, I had just learned to swim and was eager to put my lessons into action. So, every day after my dad would come home, me and the youngest of my sisters would beg my dad to go to the local pool. My father would wake up at 5am and work until 5pm, everyday. And every time we asked he said yes, not knowing what kind of day he had. So we went to the pool and had a good time. Then we would come home and my dad would finally have supper, and begin to work on preparing estimates for prospective jobs, on the kitchen counter until late night.
Every time that my dad was home before any of us, he would hide, and would try to find him in the house. There really is many stories where my dad grabbed the opportunity and took action.
My Father gives us a prime example of how to manage family and career. It does not have to be 50-50, in reality its probably 90% career and 10% family, but it's WHAT YOU DO WITH THAT 10%.
Will you grasp that 10% opportunity and maximize it to produce memories that your child can recall, and one day post it as his first blog?
To my Father, Thank you for all you love, support and time. I hope to be half the man that you are. May God Bless you today and always.
