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Middle-class parents 'put work before their children'
Tim Ross, Education Correspondent31.10.08
MIDDLE-CLASS family life is breaking down as pressurised parents choose work over time with their children, a government study has found.
It claims parents are "cash rich" but "time poor", with half feeling they should be at home more often to eat a family meal and help with school work. Instead, they try to compensate by taking their children on special trips at weekends. But the report found that parent-child relationships had "broken down" in "a sizeable minority" of families.
The researchers warned that children in these strained families were far more likely to take extreme risks, such as trying drugs, getting into fights and drinking.
The findings came in a survey of nearly 4,000 parents and children for the Department for Schools.
Only 44 per cent of parents earning more than £45,000 a year spent time at home with their family at least four times a week. But 60 per cent of lower earners, on less than £10,000, enjoyed regular family time at home.
Margaret Morrissey, from lobby group Parents Outloud, said: "Parents feel completely inadequate. They read about parents who cook a fresh meal every night, chat with their kids and read them a story. That world does not exist any more."
Reader views (2)
This is probably because they are working very hard to pay their way - you don't get any handouts when you work hard and aren't a burden on society!!! Their hard work and taxes will pay for the laptops that Labour wants to give to families who don't work. Stop attacking the people who work!
- Emily, London
"But 60 per cent of lower earners, on less than £10,000, enjoyed regular family time at home". Yes but thats because most of these people are living of benefits and just sit around all day doing nothing, thats what gives them the time at home. Who is to say that they are interacting with their kids while they are doing nothing?
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
