With children ranging in age from nine to 42, Phil Collins gained the title of “Dad” a long time ago. But as the years have gone by, the musician slowly came to realize major milestones were missed with the older ones due to his busy career.

“I spoke to my older kids every week [while on tour] and they used to visit me in the UK in the summer holidays, but now we’ve talked about it and I’ve realized they missed out on a lot of me,” admits the seven-time Grammy winner.

“I don’t want that to happen again. It’s the reason I don’t tour anymore.”

Although his three eldest — Joely, 42, Simon, 37, and Lily, 25 — are all grown, Phil wants to be more present in the lives of his two youngest — Nicholas, 13, and Matthew, 9 — with ex-wife Orianne Cevey.

“Nicholas and Matthew live in Miami so I go there a lot. They’re going through normal teenage stuff,” he shares.

But the 63-year-old believes daughter Lily, an actress, can best recognize the struggle he went through to balance family and career while she was growing up.

phil collins

Phil with daughter Lily at a movie premiere in 2012

“I think being in the industry has helped [Lily] understand what I was going through,” Phil explains. “You do get caught up in it and there isn’t time to do holidays and things and she understands that now.”

Scroll down for four more stars who consciously chose family over fame!

  • Nicole Kidman

The Oscar winner has said,”If it were the choice between my family and Keith [Urban], and my career, I wouldn’t even bat an eyelid.” She went on to make only one film a year from 2008-2010 in order to welcome two daughters.

  • Chris O’Donnell

Playing Batman’s sidekick Robin in the 1995 film served as Chris’ big break, but he gave it up to have a family. “I was being offered these huge films that would have taken my career to a different level, and I decided to put on the brakes. I knew if I continued on that track, I probably wouldn’t have gotten married,” he’s said. The now 44-year-old has been happily married for 17 years and has five children.

  • Gwyneth Paltrow

After giving birth to daughter Apple in 2004, the actress said, “I just had a baby. I’m not going to work unless it’s something really special and meaningful, because I can’t imagine missing all that time with my daughter.” She subsequently disappeared from the public eye for a few years until her big comeback in 2008’s Iron Man.

  • Angelina Jolie

Between 2011-2014, Angelina took a break from both acting and directing to focus on raising her six kids with partner Brad Pitt. “First and foremost comes my family and my life with Brad. We have so much joy in raising our children and teaching them about the world that nothing really compares to that,” the brunette beauty has said.