Recently, a 7-year-old child confided in me that he gets home at 10 pm every night after attending tuition from 3 pm. “Why does a second grader need seven hours of tutoring after seven hours of school?” I asked. His answer broke my heart, “My parents work until 9 pm, so they pick me up from tuition afterwards.” It made me wonder, “Are we so busy that we have no time for the ones we love the most?”

As humans, we’ve evolved from living in caves to our present state. This evolution has led us to a modern era where life is more convenient than ever. From food being delivered to our doorsteps to payments being made with just a few clicks, we have become used to a privileged lifestyle.

However, this lifestyle requires money. To earn money and keep up with our growing demands, we must sacrifice our time. Unfortunately, our time is limited, and the extra hours we dedicate to work diminish the quality of time we spend with our family and children.

Dear busy parents, I am not blaming you. Yes, you are working tirelessly to meet your children's every need. But do you truly understand what their needs are? Is it the latest toy or the coolest gadget? Or do they crave your presence too? You might think, “All the work I do now is for my kids’ future.”

But what about sharing life with them now?

Children need love, not just things. A video call can't replace a hug, and an iPad isn't a substitute for your affection. Buying them all the toys they want doesn't create the bond that playing together does. Nothing can replace your presence in your child’s life.

The consistent absence of parents can lead to emotional detachment and insecurity in children. They may become more prone to emotional difficulties such as chronic stress, mood swings, anxiety, poor anger management, depression, and low self-esteem.

Young children, especially those under five, are the most affected by working parents' absence. They need consistent care and may suffer from separation anxiety.

They don’t just suffer emotionally. Many behavioural symptoms can manifest when growing children do not get enough quality time with their parents and caregivers. They might exhibit attention-seeking behaviours, acting out or misbehaving to gain their parents’ attention. This can manifest in disruptive actions, tantrums, or other negative behaviours as they strive to be noticed.

The lack of supervision and guidance can lead to increased aggression or defiant behaviour, with children becoming more prone to outbursts, and resistance to authority.

Conversely, some children may respond by withdrawing socially and emotionally, becoming isolated and introverted as they feel neglected or disconnected from their parents resulting in diminished social skills and increased feelings of loneliness.

These children are also more prone to peer pressure, as they might seek acceptance and validation from their peers in the absence of attention and affirmation from their parents. This vulnerability can lead them to make poor decisions or engage in risky behaviours just to fit in with their peer group.

No, I am not suggesting you leave your jobs and stay at home. But make an effort to create a work-life balance so that your child does not have to pay for it.

Make better use of the time you spend at home. Rather than just existing next to your kids, try to make the time you spend with them count: have deeper conversations to understand them better, find out what is going on in their lives, do some fun activities together, and try to involve them in your hobbies and be involved in theirs, too. Do not make your child feel less important than your work obligations.

Be there to celebrate their small victories. Positive reinforcement helps a child’s self-esteem bloom. Praise their efforts, and create a home that resonates with love and support. Let them know that you are there for them, cheering every step of the way.

Be there because a parent’s void cannot be filled with toys.