Opinion | Why working parents should stop feeling guilty about missing out on time with their children

Working parents, I have news! A new study - the first ever large-scale, long-term study - of parent time by the University of Maryland has found that the amount of time parents spend with their children between the ages of three and 11 has almost no relationship with how the children turn out, both emotionally and academically.

What's more important than sheer quantity of time is quality; things like reading a book to a child, sharing meals, going for a walk, for example. But staggeringly, even that pales in comparison with two other variables that are far more important than time spent with children: income and a mother's educational level. In other words, rich trumps time.

Wow. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the study was written by a banker. It goes against everything I'd ever thought or experienced, which is that, when it comes to children, time is king. Yet, after poring over the study for two days, looking at all the various control variables and charts, it's hard to deny the science.

The science is this: whenever we are stressed, sleep-deprived, guilty and anxious, it rubs off on our children. We've all been there: sighed when they ask us to take them to the park, our eyes sliding to the report on our laptops that's due on Monday. How many of us have sat through school events with one eye on our child and the other on our watch? I know I have.

Apparently, our children can feel every little sigh and wince. "Hey, but at least we were there!" we say. According to the study, being present and accessible isn't the same as being engaged. We don't get brownie points just for being around.

If only we could compartmentalise better and spend time with our children without feeling any stress about all the work we have to do. But that's easier said than done, especially in today's technological world, where having a job often means being accessible 24/7.