Balancing work and family is something I have been doing for over 25 years.  It was especially important once I had children.  My business was in Manhattan so everyday, like so many others, I would take a 6:00am train to get to work and take a 6:00pm train home.  That worked fine as my wife was also working at the time.  Like many newly married couples, we each had our careers.  But as soon as I had my first child, I made the decision to move the business to Long Island, about five minutes from my home. I did this because I wanted to make sure I was around as much as possible to be with my kids. Being self emplyoyed, I had the flexibility to make sure I was available, no matter what.  I became very active in the PTA, thereby allowing me to be with my children when they were in elementary and middle school, the most important years for children.  I never missed a game, a show, a recital, etc…  I was lucky.  Most people wouldn’t have the opportunity to be there for everything but we made the decision that our family came first, not matter what.  To this day, we still make sure that no matter what is going on in our professional lives, our family is first.  Whether it’s taking a trip or vacation, or just spending a holiday together, they are our priority.  I’m not saying that it was always easy but choices have to be made and ours was our family