How important is it to spend time with your kids?
The common question among mothers as to whether they are spending enough time with their children may be due in part to the notion that it’s key to ensuring a bright future, but new research challenges that conventional wisdom.
It appears the sheer amount of time parents spend with their kids between the ages of 3 and 11 has virtually no relationship to how children turn out, according to the first large-scale longitudinal study published this month in the Journal of Marriage and Family. The findings included academic achievement, behavior and emotional well-being.
“This is not to say that spending time with children is not important,” says Dr. Michael Fell, pediatrician at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill. “I think the study shows that it is just more important to spend quality time with your children, such as talking with them, reading and sharing meals.”
For adolescents, more time with mom was related to fewer instances of drug use, sex and antisocial behaviors.
Melissa Milkie, the study author, noted that among children 12 to 18 years old, “more engaged maternal time was related to fewer delinquent behaviors.”
Related Posts
Comments
About the Author
health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
