Guilty Parent Syndrome

This follows my previous post on parental absenteeism.

Full time work especially for single parents mean that they have limited time for the family. The need to continue employment or get a promotion further lessens quality time with the family. Parents in this situation tend to develop guilt feelings, particularly towards their children. Since they have the money but not the time, the expression of guilt is through material purchases and gifts to children.

While material things may provide short-term pleasure and ease the strain between parents and children, this does not address the guilt of parents or support family cohesiveness in the long-term. Except when the material thing is a need, children quickly get tired of these things because of the recognition that there would be new things and there is also a limit to the financial ability of parents to provide the material things, of a high enough value, to compensate for the growing guilt.

With scarce time, creativity could lead to quality bonding sessions. Simple open conversations during mealtime or gestures and expressions of care when everybody meets at home goes a long way. Even sharing funny moments and laughing together does much good (everything lightens up when I hear my mom laugh out loud, which is a rare treat).

This is not an absolute solution and the situation is always complex with each family member trying to deal with personal issues and issues with parents and family members but its a practical step to ease that guilt and save the money for more important needs.