38-minute family
Jobs, commuting and housework mean parents have little time left in the day to talk to children
LONG working hours, the commute and household chores can often get in the way of family time.
And Scots parents spend only 38 uninterrupted minutes a day with their children, a survey has found.
While it may be four minutes longer than the UK average, mothers and fathers find it a daily challenge to spend time with their offspring.
The 38 minutes are ‘undistracted’ time, during which families can talk without being si detracked by housework or gadgets such as games consoles. One in five parents says they are too busy to spend long enough with their children.
Judy Murray, who, it has been suggested, spends rather too much time following her son Andy around his tennis tournaments, is fronting a campaign by Highland Spring to encourage f amilies to get together through sport.
Mrs Murray said: ‘The research shows there is a need to break out of existing routines and into more active lifestyles.
‘Despite the struggle of the daily grind, families everywhere have strong appetites f or outdoor games. Our first “court” was our driveway, with two chairs and a rope for the net, and the boys’ first “match” was hitting balloons across the sofa.’
A survey for the campaign found Scottish parents are kept apart from their families by the hours they work, commuting times and general exhaustion.
The amount of quality time spent together on a working weekday is 38 minutes. Family time increases on days off but not substantially, with families clocking up one hour 35 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays.
The pressures of modern life are such that one in five parents feels they don’t have the time they need, though 88 per cent say they are always looking for activities they can do together.
Concerns have previously been raised about the effect of modern life on families north of the Border. We are less likely to sit down together for meals and are increasingly reliant on takeaways and processed food.
However, the study offers hope, as having a meal together is Scots families’ favourite activity. That is followed by watching a film, TV or taking part in outdoor activities or sport.
The Highland Spring campaign, backed by the Lawn Tennis Association, is calling for 10,000 families to get active together over the summer.
Spokesman Andrea McQuaid said: ‘A fifth of parents told us they are too tired to be as active with their children as they would like. But the appetite for change is there and now is the perfect time to act.’