DadTalk

Families - only time they spend together is watching TV

Families are now so busy that the only time they spend together is in front of the television, a new survey reports in the Daily Mail.

One in ten said the pressures of work and home life meant that time watching the TV was their only chance to bond. According to the research over half (55 per cent) regard sitting down together in front of the box as the best way of catching up.

Family psychologist Pat Spungin, who conducted the survey, said: 'Watching TV for an hour or two a few times a week can be the ultimate opportunity for families to bond. It is also promising that with our busy lifestyles, families regard watching TV together as the opportunity to communicate with each other and discuss current issues.'

Meanwhile mothers and daughters bonded during shows like How to Look Good Naked, Desperate Housewives and Pushing Daisies.

Fathers bonded with their sons whilst watching Top Gear and live sport.

The survey, conducted by Freesat - a satellite TV service providing subscription-free digital television - and website raisingkids.co.uk, also found that television had a positive effect on family life.

Dr Spungin, a former lecturer in Child Psychology at Middlesex University who founded the raisingkids website, said it offered them a chance to bond and share interests whilst provoking discussion and promoting education.

Read the full story in the Daily Mail