A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. parents with children under five found that on average, parents have only 18 hours weekly for themselves (about 10% of the week). They spend 47% of their time on professional or personal tasks and 42% on their child’s care and education. Despite their limited personal time, 92% of parents reported they would willingly add to their schedule to ensure their child can explore their interests. In fact, 96% of parents encourage their children to pursue diverse interests, including music (68%), zoology (52%), art (50%), cooking (33%), and team sports (33%). Parents noted their children seem happier (56%), more engaged (50%), and more independent (47%) as a result. Nearly 80% have even learned new things from their child’s areas of interest. (Talkerresearch)

PHONE TOPIC: Has one of your child’s interests inspired a new interest of yours?