Raising children with both parents working is undoubtedly challenging, but with proper planning and emotional support, parents can share the burden and create a loving, stable environment. While having both parents work provides economic stability, it can also lead to challenges such as loneliness and a lack of attention and affection, which children need. Slowly, caregiving responsibilities fall to grandparents, relatives, or hired help, whereas some older children are left to manage on their own.
This environment often encourages independence and responsibility in children; however, it can also lead to emotional gaps and a lack of quality time with parents. This affects children’s emotional development, behaviour, and may create struggles with feelings of neglect or experience difficulty in communication and discipline. Despite weekend activities or gifts, it does not compensate for the consistent emotional support that children need daily.
Khushi Acharya, an eight-year-old child, shared her longing for her mother to come to pick her up while witnessing other children happily running into their mothers’ arms. Without the consistent reassurance and presence of their parents, these children face struggles and insecurity, making it harder for them to form strong bonds. Sometimes they even fall behind socially or academically. Guardians or relatives may step in to help, but they cannot fill the emotional space a parent provides.
Children crave emotional warmth from their early years. However, with absent parents, children feel unwanted, neglected, or unloved, even if their basic needs are met. This leads to anxiety, low self-esteem, and sadness that children struggle to express. In the absence of parental care, children struggle to maintain routines like proper sleep, hygiene, and meals, especially if no other adult supervises them. Krish Adhikari, who lives alone in an apartment in Kathmandu because his father is in the USA and his mother is a doctor and barely home, said that living alone gives him independence as he eats whatever is in the fridge and sleeps late with the lights on because it feels less lonely.
Children gradually stop expressing emotions or suppress their feelings, believing no one will listen or respond. This emotional shutdown affects their ability to connect with others. This can also cause long-term mental health issues, including depression or anxiety. Children need consistent care, love, and a safe environment to grow. Without parental guidance, children get lost on the right track.
Without adult supervision and guidance, children face a higher likelihood of engaging in risky behaviour that can harm their health, relationships, and future prospects. They can also indulge in bad habits like smoking, drinking, doing drugs, and many more. Something that starts from peer pressure can be hard to let go of.
To fill emotional needs, children turn to mobile phones, games, or TV. Others may retreat into fantasy worlds, books, or even imaginary friends as a way to cope with loneliness or isolation. These provide temporary comfort; however, overreliance can harm their social, emotional, and mental development. Even small daily interactions like asking a child about their day, having meals together, and reading a story at bedtime have a lasting positive impact on a child’s emotional health.