I watched this Ted Talk video:

My two cents here:

In many things in this world, we believe having a strong foundation is crucial. So the ever-challenging role of parenting should not ignore the importance of being there, especially in the first few years of a child’s life. Clearly, there will be sacrifices in individual lives and careers of parents, but such sacrifices, especially on “me” times, won’t last that long. It’s more like an investment to better family life, I suppose.

I’m no expert on this, but I have this belief that as a child grows, s/he becomes more independent and needing relatively less time with the parent. It doesn’t mean no time later on, it’s about having quality time later on, while still becoming individuals with own lives to live. So treasure the early years and plant the seeds well for the child so s/he can be ready to live her/his own life at the right time. It is indeed tough to balance financial and emotional needs, but a family’s love should be up to the challenge.

It’s nice to hear some scientific studies agreeing with my stand. I can’t wait to go back to shooting more films, primarily in the independent scene. But i also can’t wait to share that time with a lovingly headstrong, independent girl who sees her mom trying to live for her own best self — with the mom looking forward that the child will eventually follow her own dreams too.