Editor's note: This article appeared in the May 24, 2011, edition if Quirk's e-newsletter.

 

The traditional family was once regarded as two married parents, 2.5 kids, a dog and a white picket fence. However, the rise of the "modern family," made up of single parents, partners living together or even older parents who have moved in with adult children shows that the definition of family is changing - and with it, how families spend their leisure time. Indeed, respondents with children in the household who are not married but living with a partner report the highest number of hours spent with family each week (31.5 hours), according to data from Chicago research company Mintel.

 

Moreover, 45 percent of respondents who are living with a partner say they are spending more time with family this year when compared to last year - the highest response from any group and more than 12 percentage points more than married respondents.

 

Fifty-four percent of unmarried parents who report spending more time with family this year say they're doing so because they "made it a priority" to spend more time with loved ones. Meanwhile, perhaps as fallout from the recession, 46 percent say they are spending less time at work and 37 percent say their children are spending more time at home than they did a year ago because they are less involved in after-school activities.   

 

Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed also say they enjoy spending most of their time at home with family. Eighty percent say their family eats dinner together most nights and 65 percent agree they spend enough time with their family and children.