Sharing his frustration with our men's group, Tim grumbled: "I don't always get home early enough to spend time with the kids in the evening. During the late afternoon, my boss will ask me about a project or give me something to do that keeps me at the office later than I want to be."
For decades, working moms have complained about the difficulty of balancing work and family life. Recent surveys indicate that working fathers are now voicing the same concern. Because of the demands of their jobs, many men are having trouble finding the time to play and talk with their kids, to help them with their homework, and to do all the things they believe a great dad does. Unfortunately, according to James A Levine, author of Working Fathers, many dads have opted to find time for their children by taking it away from their wives.
Neglecting your spouse is not just bad for your marriage; it's also troubling for your children. Kids hurt when their parents' marriage suffers, and they often bear the brunt of any ill feelings their parents have toward one another. And when they detect trouble between their parents, children feel insecure. Many children head to school in the morning anxiously wondering if their parents will still be together when they return home in the evening.
When a child senses Mom and Dad are drifting apart, he may act out in ways that bring his parents together by making them focus on his problem. Any number of problems may occur: misbehaving at school, bed wetting, neglecting homework, even using drugs. Counselors often treat children's problems by helping their parents deal with marital issues. Whatever you do to balance the demands of being a parent with being employed, don't do it at the expense of your marriage.
*This article was written by Charlies Sell, HomeLife Magazine
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