How many of you are dealing with a situation where the father is absent for whatever reason in the child’s life. Not necessary all the time, but for months on end at times perhaps. How do you feel it affects your child? How old is your child?
Re: Absent Parents
I have seen families where father lives and works in a different country n family n kids in a different country. I dunno how it affects them but am sure kids miss their father.
Re: Absent Parents
I think it does not have a very good impact. My kids are in pak for now and i visit them every 15 days. it was the toughest decision i took. 
Re: Absent Parents
^ exactly! Do u think it affects babies under two too?
Re: Absent Parents
bao, you have young children. what effect does this have on them do you think? do you feel a mom is enough for them at the moment due to young age, or that u are needed even now. I know for a fact that kids in their teens need stability of both parents around.
Re: Absent Parents
This age is very important, as this is the prime age when child’s personality is developed and any thing lacking does have some negative impact. My kids are missing their best friend.
As far as moms case is concerned my wife only misses me when she has to handle the youngest daughter,4 mnth, elder two are best handled when i am not around. 
i do not suggest any one to go by that route unless unevitable.
Re: Absent Parents
I was hoping it isn’t so required to have both parents around when younger than five.
Re: Absent Parents
My dad used to be away for 6 months when I was growing up till I turned ten. But the rest of the time he was present 24/7 so did school pick ups and everything. The time he was absent was harder on my mum than on us since she had extra workload. I have no issues, love my dad. There were always uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents around.
Re: Absent Parents
My situation is not exactly as you describe, but my husband works very late hours (or he just stays behind at work because he wants to let traffic die down) so he pretty much doesn’t get home most days until after 9 pm. I can already see the effect it has on my daughter. She may be initially excited to see him when he get home, but she does not go to him easily and often cries when she is with him because she wants to go to me or her grandma. He is not concerned at all. He says, she will love him when she gets a bit older.
Re: Absent Parents
We moved to Pakistan some five years ago. But my husband couldn’t so he is still in EU.
It was too hard in the beginning, but is getting better alhamdulillah especially because he flies to us quite often like 3-4 times an year, sometimes more. But even when he is not with us he is always in contact through phone/skype/ viber etc. My kids always seek his permission for going somewhere and share whatever they want to, with him. He always shows much interest so the kids have learned to cope.
You should come n see how he is welcomed each time he comes 
My daughters even put mehndi on their hands and feet as if it was eid. 
Just don’t ask about the time we see him off. I pack his suitcase usually after kids have gone to bed. it’s tough!
Re: Absent Parents
Because its the both of parents who bring a baby into this world, there is no reason one of them be absent from their life. The worst a parent can do to their baby! And this is only violating the law of nature which requires both the parents combined to rear their child. What affect it has on a child, not having one of the parents around, I guess is best imaginable by the child themselves only.
Re: Absent Parents
^ yes I was more interested in what people have observed, how old their children are and what their situations are respectively. How they cope and how interpersonal relationships are with the absent parent then?
Re: Absent Parents
That is so sad candy apple. Perhaps he is right. Yes kids don’t remember childhood much and perhaps certain things do not matter when we think about them later (ie she will love him later) BUT if our kids get hurt today, eg bump a head, get a scrape, their pain is real, whether or not they forget it, and we moms witness it and are pained too!!
How old are your kids? Much be so tough. It isn’t normal!
The things a person does for money…
Re: Absent Parents
So you didn’t miss him? It didn’t matter? Do you feel it would matter to your kids if a similar situation happened with them? Perhaps you don’t remember missing him? I ask because I’m trying to get a perspective.
Re: Absent Parents
Of course he was missed and was waited for eagerly but the past 20 years he has been always there always in a positive way so that phase is a faded memory. I really wouldn’t want it for my kids unless its imperative that hubby has to be away for work but now with Skype and all it probably won’t be too bad.
Re: Absent Parents
My husband travels for work during week and is home on the weekends. In the beginning I was concerned that our newborn son will not bond with his dad. But I was very surprised to see my son’s reaction everytime he heard his dad’s voice. He’s 9 months old now and as soon as he hears his baba’s voice he starts looking for him and wants to go to him as soon as he sees him. Mashallah. When my husband is in town he spends all his time with our son.
Re: Absent Parents
totally depends on circumstances, when I was born my father was posted on border he came late n again in beginning he was here n there, being in army he was always moving, but honesty I don’t remember because I was too young but my grandparents were there wth my mum.
Re: Absent Parents
sorry dear I don’t agree, depends on the circumstances its your own choice or the situation, I am sure no one likes to live away from teir kids but sometimes I have seen father away thts mostly because of work n fathers are indirectly doing everything for kids, they are earning for them thts y.