The Family Leisure Dilemma: Insights from research with Canadian families

Abstract

Abstract Family leisure is an important and highly valued component of family life. However, the idealized version of family leisure may not be easily attainable for many families. This paper summarizes the findings from three separate studies of family leisure in Canada. The studies show that parents do believe in the positive benefits of family leisure, but that the realities of family life can make these desired outcomes difficult to obtain. Parents, and especially mothers, face a number of difficulties and dilemmas in their attempts to facilitate family leisure. These include time stress, high family workloads, and finding appropriate activities for joint participation. These issues, as well as the idealization of family leisure, are discussed. It is argued that social change is needed, and that this can be facilitated through social policy initiatives, as well as through a more critical analysis of family leisure.