Quality time

Under Quality time (English for " quality time " ) is understood in the social discourse of the English room, especially the United States, the time where you could - pay special attention to children, his partner or his friends - might otherwise neglected.

The colloquial term comes from the U.S., where he earned in the 1970s together with the idea of ​​popularity that family and work are compatible. For the first time demonstrate the expression is in January 1973 in an article appearing in Maryland newspaper The Capital. " Quality time " is viewed as a time and entirely devoted to strengthening of human relationships. It may be time that is spent in social activities such common games, walks, talks, etc., or with the joint preparation of a meal. Rarely, the term is also related to the time that a man and eventually spends alone with himself to his hobby, to relax from work or from the stresses of his family life, what is being excreted in many definitions because of the lack of " conscious interaction ".

The American sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild defined the term in 2006 as follows:

" The concept of Quality Time is based on the assumption that the time we devote to relationships, can somehow separate from the ordinary time. Of course, relations go even during the Quantity Time on, but then we are only passive in our emotional ties, and operate not active, targeted and not with all my heart. "

The American couple and relationship counselor Gary Chapman understands in his book Five Love Languages ​​" Quality time " in the sense of consciously lived togetherness as one of five different relationships Languages ​​that are lived in partnerships.

The term is now, partly translated, also used in German-speaking countries. According to a memorandum from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in May 2009 Quality time is narrow follows: " As a quality time for families we consider reliable and self-determined time options, use the families aware of our activities. It can be both at group outings or play dates as well as to activities, such as cooking and eating, as long as they are consciously perceived as family time. Pure household activities or hobbies in which other family members are also present, however, do not count. For us, time prosperity is measured in conscious interaction, care and attention with the result of well-being. " Family-related quality of time by spending more time sovereignty allow is the task of politics, economy and society, and in particular an object of family policy.