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Survey shows UAE expats spend too little time with their children
| Published: | 10 Feb at 6 PM |
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Tagged: UAE, Study Abroad
Results of last month’s survey of expat parents in the UAE has revealed that, on average, expat parents spend far less time with their children than their parents spent with them.
The study involved 1,200 respondents, and the results are worrying as regards the development of expat youngsters. Expat parents spend as little as 50 minutes in each normal working day on quality time with their children, according to the survey.
Parents reported that the pressures of modern life such as long working hours for adults and long study times for children, longer commuting times and hours spent watching TV and on the internet were responsible for the lack of quality time together as a family.
The survey showed that, in the average expat family, just 11 hours a week including weekends for essential family bonding activities was allowed for.
More than 62 per cent of respondents stated that, even when the family was together, homework, TV programmes and computer games took precedence. A number of respondents said that their older children preferred to spend time with their friends rather than with their parents.
Experts are concerned that a dearth of parental involvement and guidance can cause potentially serious difficulties in children’s educational and emotional growth. Even in later life, mood disorders, anxiety and substance abuse can be the result of a lack of quality time spent with parents over the early years of a child’s life.
The study involved 1,200 respondents, and the results are worrying as regards the development of expat youngsters. Expat parents spend as little as 50 minutes in each normal working day on quality time with their children, according to the survey.
Parents reported that the pressures of modern life such as long working hours for adults and long study times for children, longer commuting times and hours spent watching TV and on the internet were responsible for the lack of quality time together as a family.
The survey showed that, in the average expat family, just 11 hours a week including weekends for essential family bonding activities was allowed for.
More than 62 per cent of respondents stated that, even when the family was together, homework, TV programmes and computer games took precedence. A number of respondents said that their older children preferred to spend time with their friends rather than with their parents.
Experts are concerned that a dearth of parental involvement and guidance can cause potentially serious difficulties in children’s educational and emotional growth. Even in later life, mood disorders, anxiety and substance abuse can be the result of a lack of quality time spent with parents over the early years of a child’s life.
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