The current economic climate is now having an impact on family life across the UK according to a recent survey.
71% of parents questioned feel they are missing out on spending valuable time with their children due to the credit crunch. Over a third of those surveyed blamed increased working hours for not having the quality time they would like to spend playing with their children. The longer working hours and increased pressure in the workplace at the moment means that over a quarter of parents surveyed feel they are too tired to play with their children when they are at home.
The credit crunch seems to have affected the time Dads spend with their children the most. 45% questioned felt their ‘hands on’ role has diminished of late with 52% blaming this on longer working hours. Overall Dads spend less than 10 hours a week playing with their children due to increased work pressures, 46% have had to give up their own hobby because they are too busy at work and 18% are actually becoming jealous of the amount of time their partners are spending with their children.
78% of parents working in the IT industry in the UK feel they are missing out on spending valuable time with their children due to longer working hours, spending just over 8 hours playing with their children per week, the least amount of time of all UK professionals. Marketing, Advertising and PR professionals spend the most time with their children, spending on average 17½ hours per week. 100% of recruitment consultants wished they had more time to spend with their children, with half of those surveyed admitting that the lack of time spent with their children was down to being too stressed to play with them due to money worries.
The survey, commissioned by Airfix, also highlighted the differences in the time parents spend with their children across the UK. Results showed that parents in Aberystwyth spend the least amount of time with their children spending on average only 8 hours a week. York and Edinburgh follow closely behind spending only 9 hours per week. Parents in Aberdeen spend the most amount of time with their children in the UK, spending on average 12 hours a week with them.
The long term social impact of Dads spending less time with their children could be extensive, including the child developing emotional and behavioural problems.
December 2008 | 
Conjoined Twin Faith Dies
