Only 35% polled leave house to do something fun with extended family
SINGAPORE — In a bid to get Singaporeans to spend more time with extended family members, Families for Life is giving out 20,000 passes to Universal Studios Singapore in sets of six, eight and 10 until next Tuesday through its website.
The giveaway is part of its family celebrations this year on Sept 5 and 6, focusing on bonding among extended family members. Passes will be awarded through balloting, and winners will be notified after Aug 18.
Lucky families will be able to spend time together at the theme park in Resorts World Sentosa between 5pm and 11pm on either day.
In a poll conducted last month by Families for Life — previously known as the National Family Council — through its Facebook page and at its events, about six in 10 of the 1,171 respondents said they have a mobile phone chat group with their extended families, including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
But only 35 per cent get out of the house to do something fun together with their extended families.
The bulk of them celebrate festive occasions and birthdays (68 per cent) and have regular meals together (50 per cent) (see graphic).
Almost four in 10 respondents spend less than two hours of quality time with their extended families in an average month. One in three spends two to six hours each month on average with the extended family, while the remaining 29 per cent spend more than six hours each month on average.
“Family bonding and support goes beyond our immediate families,” said Families for Life Council chairman Ching Wei Hong. “While technology and social media have made it easier than ever to stay connected with our extended families amid our busy schedules, the quality of interaction cannot be compared with being physically present with them.”
Giving Universal Studios Singapore tickets away in larger sets this year will create opportunities for Singaporeans to spend quality time with immediate and extended families, he added.
Families for Life is also planning to organise “bigger and better” monthly picnics from January onwards. The picnics were introduced last year and the new editions will be themed in sync with Fathers’ Day, Mothers’ Day and Grandparents’ Day.
Its new website will also provide a 365-day guide to enriching family life.
