How much time do you spend as a family

[Godcomedinewithmeisstillon]

Doing things together/having family time?

Dh works Mon-Fri-8-5, he gets home and we have dinner and a little time in front of the tv with Dd and then she’s up to bed.
Saturday morning I work (part time during the week too when Dd at school) I usually get home, then do the food shop with Dd, home, make dinner, Dd usually has a neighbour friend over or goes to their house or there’s a party for her to go to, we’ll have dinner, an hour or so tv, playing etc, then bed.
Sunday we sometimes have a day/morning out, but Dd always wants to go to her neighbour friends or they come here, which is great, but I’m just realising we don’t actually get much actual time together as a family. When she was younger we always all seemed to be together, I miss it!

About one whole afternoon a week as a family, then we always eat together every night so that’s another 15-20 mins a day of conversation. Time reading together counts, holidays count? From what you’ve put above, I’d get the food shop delivered.

@DGPP Ahh ok, so ours isn’t as small
amount as others maybe? 🤷🏻‍♀️Yes I hate the Sat food shop as after working just want to relax, I need to get delivery or move the day I do it around

My husband worked away all week for years when the kids were little. They didn’t even get me to themselves as I hosted overseas A level students as my “wfh”.

The time we did spend though, at weekends (when we were both knackered!) was good. Lots of talking, eating together, doing things they wanted to do.

they’re adults now and our relationships are great. I really don’t think it’s the amount of time that matters but what you spend it on.

What counts as ‘family time’? If you mean being in the same building, then quite a lot still. If you mean sitting down to play board games / do jigsaws / watch tv together, then bugger all these days. Ours are teens (16, 13) - they are mostly gaming, doing homework or out with friends. I love it tbh - have managed to get back into reading since I don’t have to entertain them, and DH and I spend more time just the two of us. We try to eat dinner together at the table every night, working round sports etc. It’s a good opportunity to catch up.

So today for example, we are all home. I am decorating the bathroom 🤦‍♀️, so quite busy. DH is doing some work. DS1 is in the living room on his laptop doing 🤷‍♀️ and DS2 is in his bedroom gaming with a friend. we’ve all interacted at various points, we will all eat together tonight.

I’ll be honest, I’ve always wondered what family time is. What do people do? Neither DH nor I grew up going on outings or activities with family, all our parents were very much of the ‘make your own entertainment’ line of thought. So I always kind of expected my kids to do their own things as soon as they were old enough to.

Mealtimes. Occasionally pass in the hallway if someone’s going to the bathroom or in or out the door. If there’s a football match on , they’ll be in the living room watching tv for that. Otherwise, if they’re in, they’re upstairs gaming or chatting on the phone