Parents spend 16.8 hours in a typical week playing with their children aged up to 12 years, according to IKEA. Mothers (17.3 hours) spend more time than fathers (16.3 hours) playing with their kids.
Despite the amount of time they spend with their children, 48% of parents feel guilty that they do not spend enough time with their kids. Most (69%) would like more time to just “chill out” with their children. Four in 10 children (40%) would like their parents to spend more time playing with them. Among only children, that proportion rises to 48%.
Nearly half of parents (47%) think their children spend too much time watching TV or playing electronic games. This adds to their guilt, with 31% feeling bad that their children watch TV or DVDs because they are too busy to play with them. Children aged 7-12 prefer playing with friends to watching TV or playing videogames; however, videogames are a close second among boys, compared to a distant third for girls. [Family, Leisure]
Source: “Playreport USA,” IKEA, Mona Astra Liss, Director Public Relations, 420 Alan Wood Rd., Conshohocken, PA 19428; 610-834-0180 x5852; mona.liss@memo.ikea.com; www.ikea-usa.com.
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