Middle-class parents are falling prey to work pressures, choosing time at the office over time spent with their children.

This new UK research which gives rise to similar questions about Australian families, has found that the quality of middle-class family life is on the down-turn as working parents feel the pinch to work longer hours rather than spend time with their families at home.

The Department for Schools government study of nearly 4000 parents and children in the UK found that middle-class parents are 'cash rich' but 'time poor' with around 50 per cent feeling that their time would be better spent at home sharing a family meal and helping their kids with their home work.

Interestingly, only 44 per cent of parents in higher earning brackets spent time at home with their families four times a week, whereas 60 per cent of lower earners enjoyed regular family time at home.

"Parents feel completely inadequate. They read about parents who cook a fresh meal every night, chat with their kids and read them a story. That world does not exist any more," says Margaret Morrissey, from lobby group Parents Outloud.

The research found that while work-pressured parents were compensating for a lack of time spent at home by taking their families on special weekend breaks, children in these strained families are actually more likely to take risks such as taking drugs, drinking and fighting with other children.

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