According to the latest survey by NSPCC, busy mums and dads in Britain manage to spend just 49 minutes in every 24 hours with their children and each other–hardly enough time to share a meal.

　　The survey, of 3,000 parents and 1,000 children, found that more than two-thirds of parents blame financial pressures for getting in the way of family life. Most mums and dads considered days out and holidays to be the highest quality family time. But the same proportion of children say they would choose quality time at home with their parents over an expensive day out.

　　The poll also found that 55 percent of all parents blame their partner for failing to devote enough time to the family, and the same proportion described family as the most important thing in life. So even though the concept of the family appears to be fluid, it is unlikely the essential function of the family will change.

　　英家庭每日团聚仅49分钟

　　英国防止虐待儿童学会最新调查显示，英国父母平均每日仅有49分钟能和孩子真正相处，“还不到英国人吃一顿饭的时间”。

　　该项调查针对英国3000名父母和1000名儿童展开。超过2/3的父母称，是金融危机导致他们无法花更多的时间在家庭成员身上。绝大多数父母称休息日是家庭团聚的最佳时刻，可以“外出度周末”等。但2/3的孩子却说，比起在外玩乐一天，他们“更愿意和父母在家享受团聚时光”。

　　另有55%的成人抱怨配偶花在家庭的时间太少。与此同时，相同比例的受访者认为家庭生活是“一生中最重要的事”。受访者称，家庭观念虽已淡化，但家庭对每个人的意义并未改变。