Relationships: no replacement for quality time

Working mum guilt is an epidemic, especially in the financial industry, where staying competitive is vital to your work. Guilt can have a restorative value if you are able to see it as a signal for a change in behaviour and act accordingly, instead of running away from the problem.

If you want to help your son and develop a lasting relationship with him, you and your husband need to make compromises. Look at your son as your most valuable client - a demanding one who has a special place in your calendar every day - and you will be surprised how he reacts.

As with a client, you have to win his loyalty and trust and that takes time and commitment. All parents love their children, but youngsters need to be shown that you care. When you are in a business meeting with a fussy VIP client, do you chat with friends on WhatsApp? When you want to understand what your not-so-expressive client is mumbling about your product, how do you listen and ask questions in order to keep this client? For children, or in any relationship for that matter, nothing is worse than feeling that the other party doesn't care or that you are at the bottom of the priority list.

Children's misbehaviour often is a cry for help or a signal that something is missing or not right. Maybe that is time and attention from you both. Based on what you said, he may not have a lot of family time with mum and dad, and at his age he still needs guidance, love and warmth from both of you.

While your son needs more of your attention, he may also start to act more like a "little man" instead of the little boy that he once was.

It might be hard for many mothers to accept, but boys need fathering as much as being mothered. Many studies have shown the differences in parenting by mothers and fathers. Mothers are generally nurturing, gentle, protective and emotional, while fathers tend to be physical and playful, encouraging risk taking.