"He wants to spend more time with his family."

[ck4829]

Does anyone know the first time this commonly heard phrase was used?

[Radio_Lady]

1. I think they said it about Adam when he left the Garden of Eden. You think?

[SoCalDem]

2. found many references when I googled 1994..I'll keep gooing back in the time machine

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22+spend+more+time+with+his+family.%22+1994&btnG=Google+Search

The Daily Princetonian - Frist '74 drops bid for GOP nomination in ...
... run to return to his medical work and spend more time with his family. ... no previous political experience as part of the 1994 Republican landslide. ...
www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2006/11/30/news/16794.shtml - 35k - Cached - Similar pages

ESPN.com - NFL - Cowher resigns to spend more time with family
Cowher said his most vivid memories are of the five AFC title games at home, even if four were losses during the 1994, 1997, 2001 and 2004 seasons. ...
sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2721349 - 121k - Cached - Similar pages

More Time With My Family - By Jack Shafer - Slate Magazine
... to spend more time with his family--toddler Suby and wife Susan Molinari. ... family alibi to the Washington Post when I quit my Washington job in 1994. ...
slate.msn.com/id/2072 - 36k - Cached - Similar pages

Anthony Edwards (I) - Biography
Left his role in the 8th season of "ER" (1994) to spend more time with his family. Co-star, Noah Wyle did the same in the 10th season (though he has ...
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000381/bio - 25k - Cached - Similar pages

Peace Corps Online | December 22, 2004: Headlines: COS - Paraguay ...
... saying he wants to spend more time with his family and end the political ... Murphy began his first term in 1994, as a deal that had kept the Pirates in ...
peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2025307.html - 32k - Cached - Similar pages

Top Montgomery County Democrat to quit his post
... his job as party chairman after 13 years to spend more time with his family. ... Lieberman became chairman in 1994 after a party fight that unseated ...
www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/03/28/ddn032807lieberman.html - 34k - Cached - Similar pages

NewSong - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 1993, lead vocalist Eddie Middleton left to pursue a solo career, and Bobby Apon left to spend more time with his family. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsong - 24k - Cached - Similar pages

Patrick Ewing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ewing was a key contributor to the Knicks' run to the Finals in 1994, ... with the Houston Rockets because he wanted to spend more time with his family. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Ewing - 47k - Apr 5, 2007 - Cached - Similar pages

< More results from en.wikipedia.org >
NFL.com - Pittsburgh Steelers Team News
Cowher has talked of wanting to spend more time with his family, especially now ... 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991 ...
www.nfl.com/teams/story/PIT/9910093 - 74k - Cached - Similar pages

Insights into Mandela's reign
Before the 1994 election some people had been sent abroad to study how ... regret has been that he has not been able to spend more time with his family, ...
www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mandela/about%20and%20to/kathrada.html - 13k - Cached - Similar pages

[uppityperson]

3. Oh crap, you got my hopes up there for a moment with that subject line.

Dang.

[SoCalDem]

4. Good article here, about it and other 'canned phrases'..

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2006%2F12%2F23%2Fbusiness%2F23family.html%3Fex%3D1324530000%26en%3Df7e33dadabdbadeb%26ei%3D5088%26partner%3Drssnyt%26emc%3Drss&ei=1-EWRqq4JJaYhQOTrrCDDg&usg=__e3xQRCr96zYth4Q4xJ0rI3sayQw=&sig2=tpbsnZSIxMNCMAgiZ6FuWg

By KATIE HAFNER
Published: December 23, 2006

It is a turn of phrase with a long tradition, spun from corporate boardrooms in all seeming sincerity — no winks, no nods — just the sober announcement. “Dear shareholder and John Q. Public: our trusted executive is resigning to spend more time with family.” Sometimes it is actually true. The family tug is strong, especially this time of year. But with large severance packages and corporate images frequently at stake, more often than not the phrase is part of a carefully scripted termination agreement, filled with nondisparagement and confidentiality clauses.

The executive agrees to such terms readily after having been fired or quitting under a cloud. In extreme cases, the phrase is even trotted out in the midst of an investigation into criminal activity. “There are two code expressions: One is the ‘spending more time with your family’ line and the other is ‘leaving to pursue other interests,’ ” said Hal Reiter, chairman and chief executive of Herbert Mines Associates, an executive recruiting firm in New York. “But who are they kidding?”

While it’s impossible to determine the degree of sincerity in each case, recent examples are illuminating. Design Within Reach, for example, perhaps to cover all bases, announced in May that Tara Poseley, its chief executive, was resigning “to spend more time with family and pursue other interests.” Five months after leaving, Ms. Poseley was named president of Disney’s retail stores. She could not be reached for comment.

Executives at Sprint Nextel, eBay and 3Com have used the family line in 2006. Over the last five years, executives at Enron, Kmart, Zales, Qwest, Pepsi, DoubleClick and others have expressed a need to “spend more time with their families” as a reason for their departures. For their part, most of the executives and corporations contacted for this article chose to remain mum on the subject. And with huge severance payouts at stake it is easy to see why. An examination of termination agreements, which are required by regulators and posted online, reveals, for example, that Zales stipulated that it “may suspend any payments” to its chief executive, Beryl B. Raff, who resigned in 2001 in the wake of disappointing results, should she discuss the matter. She walked away from Zales with a $2.5 million severance package.

snip...

[DeSwiss]

5. I see....

...."Design Within Reach, for example, perhaps to cover all bases, announced in May that Tara Poseley, its chief executive, was resigning “to spend more time with family and pursue other interests.” Five months after leaving, Ms. Poseley was named president of Disney’s retail stores. She could not be reached for comment."

Apparently she was only willing to give her family 5 months. I guess those "other interests" turned out to be more interesting.....

:shrug: