Parents Are Now Spending More Quality Time With Their Kids Than Ever Before

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In a refreshing turn of events, parents today are logging more hours with their kids than their parents or grandparents ever did. So, put down those phones, folks! According to researchers at the University of California, Riverside, between 1965 and 2012, parents in almost all Western nations have significantly increased the time they dedicate to their children. The exception? France, where time spent hasn’t budged.

Back in the mid-’60s, the classic parenting image featured moms at home, but the reality was that they devoted only about 54 minutes daily to child care activities. Fast forward to 2012, and that number nearly doubled to 104 minutes. Dads, on the other hand, went from a measly 16 minutes to a whopping 59 minutes each day. Now that’s what we call progress! With more equality in parenting, it’s clear that both moms and dads are stepping up—no wonder we feel so drained!

The study tracked the daily activities of 122,271 parents from countries like Canada, the UK, the US, and several others, all with at least one child under 13. These parents were asked to keep tabs on everything from meal prep and diaper changes to bedtime routines and homework help.

Experts believe this uptick in parental involvement is largely due to the “intensive parenting” trend, where modern parents—especially moms—are encouraged to make their children the center of their worlds. From enrolling kids in countless sports to tutoring them in calculus, today’s parents are juggling a lot. It’s no wonder we’re exhausted just thinking about it!

Judith Fields, a sociology professor and co-author of the study, pointed out that time spent with children is critical for their cognitive and behavioral development. She noted that today’s fathers are more likely to embrace egalitarian views, wanting to be more involved than their own dads were. Interestingly, the research found that college-educated parents tend to spend even more time with their children compared to those without degrees. Fields was surprised by this, given that economic theory suggests higher wages usually mean less time spent at home.

As for why France didn’t see an increase, experts speculate that the French may simply believe that kids can thrive without their parents drastically altering their lifestyles.

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In summary, the modern parenting landscape shows a significant increase in time spent with children compared to past generations, reflecting a shift towards more engaged and egalitarian parenting practices.