My daughter is a little over 2 years old and I have been working on my startup the entire time she has been alive, I can't think of anything I could have done that would have let me see her more than being on my own has. (well, other than not having a job)

I work from home so I see her when she gets up in the morning, I take her to school when it is in session (she goes half-days during the year), I see her during the day for lunch and snack times (my office is by the kitchen). Then right at 5 I stop working and we all have dinner, then we hang out and play. After she goes back to bed at 7/7:30 I often head back to work and work until 10 or 11.

I couldn't imagine having to leave for work before she wakes up and if I hit traffic on the way home not getting home until 6... I would see her a grand total of 90 minutes a day.

Working for myself also lets us do much more, we take more vacations (since I can work a couple days and keep up) and last year we spent 5 weeks in San Francisco.

If you are raising a family and a startup, then this is a must read: http://steveblank.com/2009/06/18/epitaph-for-an-entrepreneur... - it totally changed how I work and has a made a huge difference for my family.