NEWS COPY
Millions of American families are opting to spend time in front of screens versus quality time together, new research reveals.
A survey of the leisure time of 2,000 American families found that quality time spent sharing a meal and engaging in conversation is increasingly rare.
In fact, results show the average American family manages less than an hour and a half of total time together in a typical day, and for two thirds of families, the majority of this time is spent sitting in silence in front of the television or other devices like phones and tablets.
The study, commissioned by Red Lobster, found that a fifth of families manage less than two meals together a week.
Hectic modern lifestyles mean 52 percent of US adults admit they struggle to ensure family life runs smoothly enough to allow proper time together over a meal without interruptions.
In fact, three quarters of families say they have to schedule time far in advance to bring the family together.
Chip Wade, Senior Vice President Operations at Red Lobster said:
“Families are finding it increasingly challenging to carve out quality time together. The results show that even mealtime – a common time to disconnect and spend time together – is being sacrificed to non-social activities like watching TV or playing on phones.”
Technology was cited as the biggest barrier to adequate quality time together, followed by household chores and errands.
In terms of the way families spend their time, the most common activities are eating a meal at home, followed by sitting in front of the TV. The third most common activity is getting out of the house together for a meal.
In fact, one of the most likely times for families to ensure sufficient quality time together is when celebrating big events such as birthdays, graduations and other occasions – with celebratory meals at restaurants now more popular than parties at home.
Wade added:
“While the results show that families make sure to celebrate big occasions together, they’re not prioritizing making daily time with each other to celebrate other special moments – an A on a test, scoring the winning goal in a game or even praise for a job well done.
The results show that dining out at a restaurant like Red Lobster can be a great way to turn off distractions and enjoy time talking and enjoying a meal together. And, the best part is, when you eat out, you leave the cooking – and the clean up – to the experts!”
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