[miriam_catira]

Honestly? My mom worked nights/ weekends as a nurse when I was little, and I have really fond memories of all the things I got to do with my dad. I think I turned out fine?

I think the key there is this section: "Central to the construct of emotional neglect is a failure to meet the basic emotional needs of the child. Key indices of early emotional neglect include both a pervasive parental failure to respond to children’s signals, particularly those of stress or distress, and a pervasive failure of parental initiative in proactively structuring the interaction with the child in protective and developmentally enhancing ways."

I honestly think whatever parent(s) are available just need to show their children that they are loved & respected. From the sound of it, I would agree with your first instinct - it should balance out. But, if you can, having loving grandparents around is supposed to be good for little ones too! :)

[em-bee]

i second that. the article is not about physical absence, but emotional absence. so as long as the child has someone emotionally caring for them at all times, missing the mother for two nights every few days won't hurt them. they will eventually get used to the pattern and know that their mom will come back. and in the meantime they get used to dad and the grandparents.

[jcims]

Thank you for this, it makes me feel better. He’s always with someone that loves him deeply, and is never experiencing neglect.