Poetry Day: Society of Absent Parents

Posted on September 18, 2025 by Charles Yallowitz

(This one hits home since I work in a school.  I know there are parents who simply don’t try to be there for their kids.  Yet, I feel like the majority are those who wish they could be there, but can’t for a variety of reasons.  I know older generations will say ‘make time’ or ‘you need to try harder’.  It’s a different world than even when I was raised.  Both parents may need to work more to make ends meet, so the age of the stay-at-home is no longer upon us.  There are so many errands and chores that need to get done because everyone is busy during the day.  Kids have homework, so they might be too busy.  That’s if there isn’t a divorce with custody schedule involved, which can, at best, halve a parent’s time.  My point is that there are times where I feel like we built a society where we want people to have kids, but not to spend time raising them.  Then, we shame parents when their kids act out and they have no idea what’s going on when the reality is that they are fighting to provide food and shelter for that child.)

How do we raise a child

When we are never there

Slaves to a society of unending need

Forced to toil and exhaust

Sacrificing time as family

Away from our progeny

Who spend most days with strangers

Unaware of the reasons

Only aware of the absence

Growing up without true guidance

From those that love them most

We wonder how so many stray

To the darkness of our world

How would they know any different

When their guides are forced away

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About Charles Yallowitz

Charles E. Yallowitz was born, raised, and educated in New York. Then he spent a few years in Florida, realized his fear of alligators, and moved back to the Empire State. When he isn't working hard on his epic fantasy stories, Charles can be found cooking or going on whatever adventure his son has planned for the day. 'Legends of Windemere' is his first series, but it certainly won't be his last.
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13 Responses to Poetry Day: Society of Absent Parents

  1. L. Marie's avatar L. Marie says:
    September 18, 2025 at 10:26 am

    Very heartfelt and poignant. I know many parents who have the struggle of wanting to be there for their kids but having to work. Some depend on the help of grandparents. But some grandparents don’t want the responsibility.

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    • Charles Yallowitz's avatar Charles Yallowitz says:
      September 18, 2025 at 11:18 am

      I’ve noticed that too. Many grandparents online complain about their kids having kids, but not being able to care for them. They tended to be the same ones pushing for grandkids too. There’s not much sense of generational responsibility to family beyond parent to child now.

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  2. noelleg44's avatar noelleg44 says:
    September 18, 2025 at 11:13 am

    Excellent points. After I retired, I tutored a class in middle school with students who had only one parents at home, were poverty stricken, or who had many, many brothers and sisters, or all of these. One of my success stories is a boy who was interested in medicine, single parent (mother) and sisters and brothers. I gave him some books on emergency medicine to read. He is now a CNA!

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  4. John W. Howell's avatar John W. Howell says:
    September 18, 2025 at 2:30 pm

    Life is so much more complex than in my day. Your poem expresses the frustration of both parents and children.

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  5. coldhandboyack's avatar coldhandboyack says:
    September 19, 2025 at 10:07 am

    That so powerful and accurate.

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