Forest Whitaker Quotes

When the children were little, I'd fly into L.A. for a specific work project, but then I'd leave again, and when I was home, I wouldn't even read a script.

If you're a young couple when you start out and are both working, trying to raise children, that is tough.

It wasn't so long ago that I was a working mom myself. And I know that sometimes, much as we all hate to admit it, it's just easier to park the kids in front of the TV for a few hours, so we can pay the bills or do the laundry or just have some peace and quiet for a change.

As a child, I didn't see my dad that much because he was always working at the restaurant. He became pretty jaded after working at the restaurant for so long.

My dad was a presence, of course, but he worked nights a lot, and I would only see him one day a week.

To have kids and not be there every night is tough.

It was the business that made Pop go away, not our inability to create.

I wish I'd married a plumber. At least he'd be home by 5 o'clock.

There are many families that want to raise kids on one income, or one income and some part-time work, and instead find themselves pressured, financially and culturally, to keep up with the dual-earning Smith-Joneses next door.

I tried taking a year off when Pedro was a toddler because I really wanted to be around, but it wasn't good for any of us.

My mother worked when I was growing up, so I was under the impression I'd find it easy to be a working mum. But I found it very hard to be away from my family, even for short periods of time.

I know I haven't spent a lot of time with my children because my job takes me all over the world and takes me away from my children, but I've given them a good education and security. If anything happens to me, my children's future is well-secured. So I think I've done well as a father.

We were not rich by any means. My dad was a plasterer and worked long hours - I hardly ever saw him when I was growing up. He had always gone to work before I woke up, and usually, I would be in bed before he came home.

I arrange it by working four days away from home, and three days at home with the family, so I work four long days rather than five shorter. But it's hard because everything is on hold. We have to restore the family life during the weekends.

Most parents are able to be with their kid every day. Every day of their life, their parents have an opportunity to be with them, and we don't have that luxury as professional athletes. That's the hardest thing.

When you're shooting a movie you are away from home most of the time. It's an amazing thing that we get to do what we get to do, but you definitely are away from the family more than you'd like to be.

I grew up kind of self-supported, that kind of environment, because my parents both worked for airlines.

My dad worked so hard. He slept in his own bed maybe half the nights of the year because of road assignments, but even when he was home, he was covering games. It put a lot of pressure on my mom. She brought in her parents to help out, and it took a village to raise us. I was lucky.

Although I have a busy work schedule, I make sure I spend time with my family and create a balance between my work and family life.

When I get through the front door, I haven't got time to tie my shoelaces. There are three kids, and the wife, and I make that absolutely the priority. By the time we've got the kids to bed and had a bite to eat we're in bed by 10:15 and are knackered!

It's hard, and I don't always get to see my kids. I will never catch up on that time I've missed.

Most Americans actually need to have both people working, and it's a luxury and something to celebrate if you can make a choice like this. And this choice isn't for everyone. But it's nice to not have to worry about what time does daycare close.

We are on the road 250-280 days a year at least, and it's something that, if I have a wife and kids at home, I don't know if I could do it.

My pops passed when I was little. I didn't have a dad around to tell me certain things. I didn't have my biological mother.

The schedule on TV is crazy. You could not work for two days but then work from 4 A.M. to 1 A.M. the next day. I definitely wanted more family time.