Does Life Get In The Way Of Your Family Time?


by Rachel Liddle |
Published on

Families in Britain spend an average of just 36 minutes quality time together every day, according to new research

Once the commute’s out of the way, dinner’s been cooked and bathtime is scheduled in, do any of us really have enough time to spend together as a family?


It seems just 36 minutes a day ends up dedicated to quality time with our favourite people. In the survey of 2000 Britons, working long or anti-social hours were blamed for getting in the way of family time, as were household chores and frantic evening routines. A massive 55 per cent of families say they have a hectic domestic life in the IKEA survey.

And it’s not that we’re without good intention. Despite plans for weekend outings and events, in one out of four times, these fall through because life gets in the way. Sound familiar?

There are times when we find it easiest to spend time together, though. Christmas day, lazy Sundays and visits to the grandparents were some of the top occasions. As were holidays and story time before bed.

Does this ring true for you? Let us know how you find time to spend together as a family below.

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us
How we write our articles and reviews
Mother & Baby is dedicated to ensuring our information is always valuable and trustworthy, which is why we only use reputable resources such as the NHS, reviewed medical papers, or the advice of a credible doctor, GP, midwife, psychotherapist, gynaecologist or other medical professionals. Where possible, our articles are medically reviewed or contain expert advice. Our writers are all kept up to date on the latest safety advice for all the products we recommend and follow strict reporting guidelines to ensure our content comes from credible sources. Remember to always consult a medical professional if you have any worries. Our articles are not intended to replace professional advice from your GP or midwife.