No book at bedtime

The Time Poverty UK Study of 4,500 UK adults from family budgeting brand Park Christmas Savings also found that 2 in 3 parents feel they do not get enough quality time with their children or loved ones — and two thirds say the rising cost of living is a key factor.

Over half of the parents surveyed said they don’t have time to read a bedtime story to their children at night, and 8 in 10 admitted they don’t have time for regular family mealtimes together. These everyday moments that matter most are being replaced by extra work, bills and exhaustion as they balance rising costs.

When asked what parents would do with a regular extra hour each day, the most popular option was an extra hour of sleep and one in five would simply catch up on housework.

Most families yearn for more time to do family activities such as swimming, museum visits and park trips, and 8 in 10 long for more one-to-one conversations with their children about worries and problems.

But the money squeeze is biting: over half of the parents surveyed said they simply can’t afford basic leisure anymore and one in four have had to pick up extra hours at work. Sadly, one in five said they are too tired or stressed to be truly present for their children's emotional needs.

The number one remedy respondents said would help balance life was better sleep (74 per cent), followed by less work hours. Nearly half the sample said they ideally need an extra two hours a day to simply finish their to-do lists.

Family psychologist Dr Pam Spurr comments: ‘Parents are clearly feeling overwhelmed and both physically and mentally exhausted. What gets lost in the chaos isn’t just free time — it’s connection. A bedtime story or shared meal might seem small, but these are the moments that build trust, emotional security and family bonds. When families lose that time, everyone feels it. It’s vital we help parents reclaim those little rituals wherever possible, because they matter more than we often realise.’

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