7 in 10 families struggle to get an hour a day together

MOST parents spend less than an hour of quality time a day with their children as they battle to fit in work and household chores.

Busy mornings and evenings spent doing homework or behind a computer mean that 68 per cent of families struggle to fit in just 60 minutes of bonding time a day.

At the other end of the scale, only 14 per cent of parents manage to spend five quality hours with their children.

‘Parents are much busier now than ever before and with so many household demands, quality time can often be unfairly neglected,’ said Andy Stephenson, an expert in child play and founder of family activity company Weekend Box Club, which commissioned the study. Eighty-two per cent of the 2,000 parents questioned also said they wanted to spend more time as a family, while 95 per cent said doing things together brought them closer.

The company – which delivers fortnightly activity packs to families – has joined the National Trust and nature organisation Project Wild Thing to launch a campaign called #PledgeOneHour, offering suggestions for how parents can spend more time with their children.

Helen Meech, of the National Trust, said: ‘With time such a precious commodity this whole concept brings parents and children together to explore nature, food and even school subjects.’