Absentee Parenting

In modern American society, bearing and raising children is more than an entitlement, it is an option. From a historical perspective, throughout many cultures the belief systems have instilled a variety of different views on both the child as an individual and the child rearing process as a whole. The concept of childhood is a relatively modern invention. Historians suggest that the "traditional" concept of childhood, beginning at birth and extending to eighteen, did not become widely accepted until the twentieth century (Sugar, 1994). The unique and diverse challenges that face people who make the choice to have children, is a prominent factor in the experiences of their children. We are all affected by our childhood. The experiences and memories we are left with play a large role in determining the adults we become. This has led me to search for an answer to something that has been bothering me quite a bit: Am I an absentee parent now that I have returned to school and work full time...