hi my husband was the same worryed about makeing monney and working .not spending time with his children justifing his non pesence with gift's (buying our love. when  our 2yr old went in to I.C.U.he realised life is preshice and  thair is no garante how long   thay will be with us. my husband had a big wakeup call, he coulden't leave her bed side in I.C.U. he went on leave from work after 3weeks in ICU .and supprised us with a holiday to syria demascos .the girls asked can you help mummy on the plain ,the bags are to big for us to help mummy.he turned to them and said im cumming with you all even i was shocked.the girls started screaming at the air port   yay daddy dose love us see mummy he's realy comming .i looked to my hubbie and smiled and said thanks . he said i want to spend time with my family a ran to the tolet crying like a baby. he lernt the hard way and he realised we were living without him all that time. after our holiday he only now works part-time.when his home i work to make up for the income lost. and we all spend the weekend's with phone's off and family days only .good luck  and all the best. kind regards nardia.   

That is really sad... And i hope he realises one day that maybe your children will no longer be little and grow up..

We all love to have the fiancial security but kids need more then that, and there is no way would my hubby dare ever say that in my house, as i would show him the door quick smart..

Hope your hubby wakes up soon, and reaslise that Money and Power isnt everything.. and its better to lose that, then your childrens love and respect...

xx cazza

hi, quite honestly i cant begin to understand why a father would not want to spend time with his kids. if he feels obligated then there is something majorly wrong with the way he views parenthood. we dont have alot even though my partner runs a company but he always makes time for our girls and i put them on the phone to him or put him on loud speaker so they can both talk and not run off with the phone lol, and we are happy. it seems that like the others have said he needs to take a good long look at what he wants because in the end if you two are arguing it does not bode well for any of you. and yes cats in the cradle is a great song with a very good life lession for parents because childhood goes by so fast you blink and by the time you realise your kids are all grown up. hope this helps and good luck for the future.

 I don't understand a father being away so much not wanting to take time out to speak to his children....I think your husband needs a wake up call. If not, the day will come when his children say Dad we are to BUSY to spend time with you & then maybe he will realise what he has lost.

I would throw the word Obligated out the window and replace it with....how about being a loving and respondible father......your children need to hear from you.

As a father - What does he feel obligated to do??????

I would be furious too, his children need a father as well as a mother and if his job does take him away for long hours and o/seas then he needs to realize that a 5 min phone call could be pure gold to those little cherubs....Or one day he will walk in the door and they will ask 'Who are you and what do you want!'

I agree get him to listen to cats in the cradle - a great song....

cheers Spinnychic

tell him, or get him to listen to "cats in the craddle"* Cant remember who sang it first but I remember the Ugly Kid Joe version, heard it in the car just the other day. 

He should be wanting to make more of an effort.  you could make a few video's of him reading a bedtime story, or something like that, the kids will get to 'see' him daily.  In the end  though I think he needs an eye opener. Maybe tell him not to bother coming home if he has an attitude like that. 

Sorry  I dont know what else to say.  Hope you work things out.

That sounds sad to me - not obligated as their father. Too busy to say nigh night?

Chlldren need their parents to be committed to them not just love them. I do think relationships suffer if parents don't find time to be with their kids. Money gifts etc can't replace that.

I think it is probably a very contentious issue for all, but I have actually chosen to work less and therefore have a bit less salary in order to spend more time with my little girl, and I find it hard to believe that someone would not make every effort to spend time with their own children, who are the most important things in the world. Kids don't need lots of toys and a big house to live in, they need love and hugs and kisses, and they need to know that the people around them really do love them, too. So I think your partner needs to have a think about his priorites.