Busy parents losing out on time with children

Parents in Britain are struggling to find the time to teach their children valuable life skills, according to a new survey.

New research has found that 45% of parents have less than five hours to play and bond with their children each week.

Nearly all parents (93%) agreed it was important to pass life skills down to the next generation, while 90% admitted not doing so could cause problems in their child’s adult life.

Yet only 31% said they took part in educational play and life-skill development activities such as cooking, sewing or DIY with their kids.

Of those who said they did not engage in such activities, 64% stated that they did not have the time to do so, and 33% claimed that they did not have such skills to pass on to their children.

Despite this, many children are eager to learn from their parents. According to the survey, 50% of those aged between seven and 16 said they would relish more time with their parents to help them learn new skills.

The survey found that 63% of children wanted to learn how to cook, while 52% wanted to learn more about DIY.

The research was commissioned by Bosch Power Tools, which has launched a campaign to encourage families to “build and bond” by building a tree house in the back garden together this summer.

Sue Palmer, specialist in child development and author of Toxic Childhood, said it was important that parents spend time with their children in order to help them feel loved.

“When parents take the time to involve their children in 'everyday' activities like cooking, DIY and mending clothes, they’re not just handing on important life skills that will stand the kids in good stead in the future, they’re also showing them value and love," she said.

“This sort of ‘family time’ is vital to a child’s feelings of self-worth.

“It used to happen naturally in most families, but modern lifestyles make it more difficult.”

Bosch Power Tools DIY expert, Chris Tidy said, "It's really important for parents to take the time to teach kids these practical skills because otherwise, it's really going to cost them in the future.

“Once they leave home they could incur huge expenses when they are unable to rely on their parents.

“These skills will prove extremely cost effective as young adults in various elements of their life, such as simple DIY tasks, cooking for themselves, decorating their house and customising their clothes."