The Cost of Guilt: Home | Regional Statistics | News Release
Times have changed and the days are gone where the traditional role of the mother would be to stay at home with the children, while the father went out to work. Instead, it has become commonplace for both parents to work, sometimes very long hours, in order to provide for their offspring, leading to the evolution of 'parental guilt'.
Working parents are under constant strain trying to juggle work and family life and as a result are spoiling their sons and daughters, in an attempt to make up for the lack of time they spend with them.
Skipton's latest research has shown that a quarter of working mums and dads with young children shell out at least £1,200 a year on their offspring to make up for lost family hours. Three fifths (60%) say that they don't feel they spend enough one-to-one hours with their youngster, while nearly a third (32%) of parents admit they feel guilty about the situation.
Working dads are particularly affected - one in five (21%) fathers think it is only fair to give their offspring treats to compensate, compared to 17% of women. Nearly half (43%) of dads also said they often feel as if they are missing out on their child's life because of their job with 29% of men even claiming that, if they could afford it, they would opt to be a stay-at-home parent.
However, mothers and fathers should consider whether spending cash on gifts and treats is the best course of action. Even if it does alleviate the guilt, saving this money up over the longer-term and using it for something that will really make a difference to a child, such as help with university fees, could prove a much better way of showing parental love.
If you would like more information on Skipton's wide range of savings accounts then pop into your local branch or call 08457 171777*.
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.