IELTS Essay: What effects do traveling parents have on their children?

These days, many jobs require people to travel and this is disrupting many families.  What effects do traveling parents have on their children?

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Sample answer

The advent of globalization has virtually reduced the world to a village where geographical boundaries are becoming irrelevant. Major multinational companies now have offices in almost all parts of the world. And to run these offices, they employ people from virtually every corner of the globe. Many of these jobs require people to travel extensively.  When parents have to go on frequent business trips, it can have a very adverse effect on the overall well-being of their children.

During their formative years, children need the presence of an adult role model. It is essential for their academic as well as emotional development. When parents travel excessively, they fail to spend quality time with their children. Of course, they provide financial security for their children but there is more to parenting than giving children ample pocket money.

Children who are raised in a single parent household often find it difficult to develop healthy relationships with their other parent who is mostly away from the home. Children who are raised in families where both parents are away on duty face even more problems. Studies have proved that children coming from families where one or both parents are always absent are more likely to get into bad company and that is quite understandable. When they do not get the love and attention they deserve from their parents, they may turn to other sources. Some might end up spending the whole of their time in front of the TV. These kids will grow into lethargic, obese adults. Others might turn to their friends or peers for guidance and solace which increases their chances of developing bad habits. And when these children grow up into adults, they may have trouble forming good relationships with their children. Worse still, the constant absence of a partner may lead to the disruption of a nuclear family which can have a devastating effect on the child.

After analyzing the situation, it is felt that parents who travel excessively do more harm than good to their children. It may not be possible to completely avoid work-related travel but parents of young children should try to reduce the time away from home as much as possible.