[ncarroll]

My dad was a traveling salesman (self-employed) and he was away a lot during the week, but only in the Winter. He was always home on weekends. That's when Mom "slept in" (I suspect, with a good book and a cup of coffee). As long as their bedroom door was closed, the rule was that kids should "go ask your Dad".

So we did, and he took us swimming, ice skating, sledding, we had sock fights (with rolled up knee socks) and cooked breakfast together.

During the summers he did most of his business via the telephone from his home office. He was nearly always available for waterskiing or whatever other bit of kid-fun popped into our goofy little heads.

I think, if I asked him, he wouldn't be of the opinion that he gave up anything to spend time with his family. I think he'd tell me that "giving something up" is what you do when you replace it with something you want to do less.

From here it looks like he just went with the flow. It was simple, he lived by the rules he laid upon his children. We all did what we "had to do" (work, school) when it was the time to do it. And then, we were free to play the rest of the time.

Edit: to clarify Dad's employment status.