Scots families keep connected through 5,000 texts a year

SCOTTISH households send nearly 5,000 texts, 260 emails and 37 hours on the phone every year, research has revealed.

The average Scottish household sends nearly 5,500 texts. Picture: pixabay

A study of 2,000 British parents found that some go to extraordinary lengths to keep in touch with their families with an average of 416 calls taking place between family members over the course of a year.

The rise in technology has resulted in a decline in human interaction with family members spending just one hour of face-to-face time together each day, without screens.

76 per cent of the public now feel that technology has negatively impacted how active they are as a family.

Among families, 5,475 texts are sent as well as 260 social media posts, links or online messages in a bid to keep track of everyone’s routines.

The study also found that five in ten have sent messages or made calls to family members who are within shouting distance of each other, often to relatives in separate rooms of the house. Three quarters of respondents said they regularly have conversations with family members where the other person isn’t listening because they’re on their phone, tablet or watching TV.

The study was conducted to mark the launch of Highland Spring ‘Anywhere for Tennis’ campaign this April which will be fronted by Judy Murray.

It’s hoped that the campaign will inspire families to spend more time together, get active and stay hydrated.

Judy Murray, who is fronting the campaign said: “In many ways we couldn’t do without the technology at our fingertips. It opens doors and allows us to connect instantly to the global community as as well as our own families.

“But the research has highlighted a concern amongst parents that the digital world, with all the alerts, texts, tweets, calls and instant messages it brings, can have a negative impact on how active families are today.

“Tennis is the perfect solution. It can be played almost anywhere with a little bit of creativity and imagination. Our first ‘court’ was our driveway at home, with two chairs and a piece of rope for the net. The boys’ first ‘match’ was hitting balloons to each other across the sofa.

“Even if your time is limited, 10 minutes a day of simple but fun skill-building activities at home will help kids to develop a variety of skills, from coordination in both sides of the body to reaction time. The trick is to start simple and build confidence through success.

“With Highland Spring Mini Tennis sessions taking place across the country and a summer of tennis just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to pack your bottle of water, pick up a racket and get playing.”

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