It is noticed that many children spend most of their time away from their parents and rarely see them at home due to their parents’ work; there are several factors causing this issue, but I believe the most crucial ones are inflexible work hours and a lack of planning for the day ahead.
First and foremost, the inflexible work hours: most companies use the same work timings for their employees; for example, in my country, Saudi Arabia, it is usually from 7AM till 4PM. So, when both parents work at the same time, they are both absent from their home and child. Well, it is common for workers to return home and nap after work, which leads to the second cause, improper planning of the day. If, for instance, they wake up from their nap at around 6 or 7 PM, they already have few hours left before their children’s bedtime; hence, the day went by with them barely seeing each other. In other words, some parents do not schedule their day in a way where they dedicate quality time with their kids and are often busy with work.
This issue is very serious; children can feel disconnected from their families, grow apart, and become less dependent on them from an early age, and this is why this issue should be addressed properly. I believe companies should allow flexible hours; this can also benefit the company by allowing their employees to work with the most efficiency, since they will be choosing their work time; in addition, it could increase the number of applicants to the company, knowing it has a beneficial feature. If companies do take this action, parents can schedule their work in a way where there is always at least one parent with the child. Another solution is learning time management skills, making sure the child is not left alone.
In conclusion, parents spending time away from their children is a rising problem that can affect families, but with flexible hours and proper scheduling, such an issue can be avoided.