Family Time Down Because of Internet

You suspected it was true, and now the research backs up your suspicions. According to the Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California, American families are spending less time together because of Internet distractions.

The average amount of time people reported spending with their families dropped from 26 hours per month from the first half of the decade to 18 hours per month in 2008.

The lesson here is to put it all in perspective and to prioritize your free time. Social networking is here to stay, and it can be addictive (meet me on Twitter, I go by tweenparenting) but it's no substitute for family bonding time. And with kids growing as fast as they do, it's prudent to make the most of whatever time you have with them before the fly the coop.

More on bonding with your tween: