“Time is our most important resource,” says time-use researcher Melissa Milkie. “Once it’s spent, we can’t get it back. EVER!
Competition for this finite resource—our time—is intense—especially for those who are both parents and in the workforce. Technology enables some people to work anytime, any place, and many of us do, though a recent study on Instagram of people using the hashtag “qualitytime” found that 99% of the images were devoid of all technology.
So, what does “quality time” really mean today, especially for children and parents? We talk about it often, but studies rarely include their voices. You may be surprised by some of the findings—for example, that teenager find time with their parents more meaningful and happier than time without their parents.
Watch this Big Ideas Talk – Making “Quality Time”—for Kids and Their Parents – to find out, be inspired, and become more intentional about how you use that most precious of all resources, your own time! Learn too about the fundamental role of workplace and government leaders can play to help our children have high quality days—through providing quality work conditions that allow parents and other caregivers to have less stress on—and off—the job.
About Melissa Milkie
Melissa Milkie is Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto, and Professor Emeritus at University of Maryland. She recently served as President of the Work and Family Researchers Network. Her research centers on gender, work-family conflicts, time use and mental health. She examines changing work structures and cultural landscapes that shape well-being at work and at home. Central to her scholarship is highlighting the complexities and social factors linked to how people spend their time and experience daily life. Dr. Milkie is currently writing the book Parents Under Pressure: How Mothers and Fathers Spend and Feel about Their Time.