Poll From Ford Suggests That Family Drives Beat Leaving Kids To Watch On Their Devices

It’s tradition for Australians to go on the occasional family drive as a form of family bonding. The family drive, a classic amidst the many  Australian family getaway ideas , is widely considered as one of the best ways for bonding, according to a research conducted by the Australian arm of automobile titan Ford.

The poll had 95% of its respondent parents saying they believed that a family drive present a great way for bonding. The problem is that, technology is becoming a detriment, with children distracted by their devices.The same poll had 76% of parents with kids aged 3 to 16 saying that their kids tend to be using a device or watching some form of digital media during these family bonding moments.

Sabina Read, an Australian psychologist and social commentator believes that it’s a habit families should try to change. She says that’s it’s worrying that people are opting to connect more in the virtual world, than in the real world, and that it’s a good thing to try and come up with ways to reconnect with other people.

The poll from Ford found that Australian parents believe that the average age that’s considered acceptable for their kid to own a mobile device is 11 years old, with a notable 20% saying that ownership is OK even for children as young as 5 to 9 years of age.

The Australian Department of Health has advised parents to limit the screen time of kids across the country to no more than 2 hours every day.

Sabina Read says that, whilst it is difficult, it’s important that people reclaim people time by going screen-free, such as during their family drives or whatever family getaway ideas they fancy. Past research in Australia has repeatedly says that car trips provide a good environment for bonding, so it’s worth the effort.

The survey from Ford says that time in the car is a great time for kids to get imaginative and communicative, and that it won’t take too much time, with the poll saying that nearly half, at about 48%, will open up within five minutes of sitting in the car, with a whopping 92% opening up within half an hour.

For drives, the poll found that the destination also had quite an impact on the bonding, with a trip to someplace new being the one most likely to inspire bonding at 70%, followed by meeting friends and family and a trip to a beach at 49% and 48%, respectively.

For those still wondering if a drive is a good candidate amidst the many family getaway ideas , couples and friends also reported the car’s indoors during a drive as a good environment to connect, with  34.48% of the respondents aged 18 to 34 saying that the car was a safe environment to discuss family planning.