Family gatherings are becoming rare events. While this can be attributed to busy work schedules and technology advancement, this trend mainly results in negative outcomes such as weekened bonds as well as / along with/ together with declining soft skills.
One of the major contributors of reduced family gatherings is overloaded work schedules. Nowadays the number of dual-income families is on the increase, meaning that both parents tend to have demanding jobs. Such jobs typically involve long-working hours, leaving little to no time devoted to family matters. Another reason for this can lie in the overuse of technology and increased screen time. Due to the rise of technology, smart phones and social media, family members are dedicating most of their time to their individual devices rather than discussing everyday life with their beloved ones. This phenomenon is being observed even in times when people are having mealtimes around the table.
This trend entails several drawbacks, with damaged connections among family members being the top concern. If people fail to spend adequate amount of time together, breakdowns in communication and conflicts, even on insignificant matters arise. As a result, they might experience a range of negative feelings such as disconnection or isolation when mental or spiritual support is needed most. Soft skill decline is another reason for the support of my viewpoint. Parents are, in my opinion, the first teachers for their children, as they teach valuable life skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution and interaction. Reduced time with parents or grandparents can result in missing out on these crucial lessons which they might need for adult life.
To conclude, the driving factors behind this phenomenon are associated with long work hours and excessive amount of time spent in front of screen. I believe that it is a negative development as they weeken the family ties and deprive (take away) children of learning valuable skills.