Modern Family Communication, British-Style
What’s the Latest Development?
A study of 2,000 British parents commissioned by Toshiba revealed that annually, on average, they are sending 1,768 texts, 520 e-mails, and 468 social media messages to their partner/spouse and children, as well as spending 68 hours on the phone with them. In addition, a full 44 percent of those surveyed admitted calling their partner or children from within the same house, with 33 percent of that group saying it was because they were too lazy to find them and talk to them. Over four in 10 parents confessed that “they are more likely to communicate with their children via text or email than actually see them face-to-face.” Text is the preferred method of electronic communication between parents and children, while phone calls are most popular between partners/spouses.
What’s the Big Idea?
Ultimately, it’s merely a sign of the times, said a Toshiba spokesman: “[W]e are relying on other methods to keep in touch. A few texts, calls or emails here and there might not seem like that much, but when you add it up over the year, we spend a lot of time communicating with loved ones through more modern means…But it’s worrying to see so many are even communicating this way when their partner or children are in the same building or even in the next room.”
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