finding a way to balance them.

Well, you and I have the luxury of wondering what to emphasize. If there is no food on the table, money comes first. If your kid is sick, the kid comes first. My response to your blog is definitely to agree on balance. But then, my basic needs are set, taken care of. More money for me would reflect ambition, appetite.

With the luxury I have (basic needs are met), and the long experience to look back on, I would say time not only with family, but invested in family. I wish hadn't been so impatient with my kids. If I were to do it again, I'd slow down, not worry about cleaning or working. I'd spend that time paying attention to them.

It's not just the memories, it's their growth and their development. What you put in while they are kids, you reap (and they reap) for the rest of their lives.

What a thoughtful blog. I would expect to read many responses.