Nowadays, children prefer spending time with their peers rather than with their parents. This is a direct result of the difference in generations between kids and older people. I firmly believe that parents should encourage their kids to spend more time with their family only if they feel like their friends are affecting them negatively.
In modern times, parents and their children normally tend not to spend much time together due to their differences in relevant views on different things. The main issue here is the lack of shared interests or mindsets and that is something typically peers can fulfill. I believe that it is a common development to be surrounded with people with relevant ideas and views. For instance, if their favourite singer uploads a new album, normally they would prefer to discuss it with another teenager, since adults share irrelevant music interests, because they listen to music that was popular during their times. That the most clear examples of differences in generations which directly results in them spending less time with their family members
After all, despite all of the advantages , some friends can cause a negative influence. In these cases, parents should pay more attention and encourage them to spend more time with family if needed. Furthermore, being surrounded with the wrong environment potentially leads to them distancing themselves from their family members. For example, they can pick up bad habits and hide it from their upbringers.That is why i believe a parent should keep a closer look on their younger ones and control who they are surrounding themselves with,but not force them to cut out their friends completely.
In conclusion, children spending most of their time with people that share common interests can potentially lead to them having less time with their parents.However, in some specific cases where kids can be under a bad influence, older ones need to take over the control in the situation.