How much quality time do parents spend with their children?

Following a campaign early this year regarding the positive upbringing of children, three main aspects requiring further attention emerged – the quality time that parents spend with children, stress, and the method by which two-way communication between parents and offsprings may be improved. The research also considered the role of grandparents in the upbringing of children.

It is estimated that Maltese parents spend an average of 5.5 hours daily with their children.

Research carried out among 800 parents during the campaign that was held between February and June by the Ministry for the Family, it was established that 51% of parents spend less than five hours daily with those children that live at home.

The Minister for the Family, Michael Falzon, said that although on average Maltese parents spend more time with their children, more quality time is needed and the Government is playing a role in this.

The Minister said that just for example, weekend Public Holidays had been restored but there is the issue of stress suffered by children mainly manifest in the education sphere and it is therefore positive that representatives from the Ministry for Health and the Ministry for Education are also represented on the same committee. He said there is also the issue of communication and understanding between parents and children.

From research carried out by Dr Vincent Marmarà it resulted that grandparents interviewed spend an average of 17 hours a week with their grandchildren with the Director of the Aġenzija Appoġġ, Ruth Sciberras, stating this is a positive trend.

She said there is still a culture where grandparents have a place in the upbringing of children although this may change in the future because more grandparents will be working but at this stage grandparents still spend a lot of time with their grandchildren.

Ruth Sciberras explained the campaign clearly showed that parents require more information on proper upbringing and the campaign that is to follow will focus on children of a greater age.

Source: https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/kemm-inqattghu-hin-how-much-quality-time-do-parents-spend-with-their-childrenta-kwalita-ma-wliedna/