The average parent sends 600 texts, 312 emails and spends 28 hours on the phone every year – just keeping track of the kids, it has emerged.

A study carried out amongst 5000 mums and dads revealed the extraordinary lengths modern parents have to go to to keep a watchful eye on their off-spring.

As well as regular emails, parents also bombard children with texts and phone calls in a desperate bid for family time and get-togethers, according to the study by National Family Week.

In fact, one in five parents admit the best method to keep track of their child’s whereabouts is via social networking sites like Facebook.

And 20 per cent of parents claim they stand a better chance of talking to their child if it’s through technology.

More than three quarters of parents believe that family life in the UK has suffered at the hands of technology, according to the study.

Noel Janis-Norton, director of “Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting” and spokesperson for National Family Week 2011, has good news for parents: “It doesn’t have to be this way. Parents can get back in charge of what happens at home.”

For example, more than half of parents think their children are more concerned with their mobile phone, laptop and social networking than with family life, according to the report. Noel says, “Because screens are so mesmerising and addictive, it’s not surprising that children and teens become so absorbed in them. Parents know that family time is important for children’s well-being and for the development of strong values. Parents can’t leave it up to the children. Parents need to take charge.”

43 per cent of parents said that when they do try and plan a family get-together it’s hard to try and pin everyone down – which bothers two thirds of the parents polled. Noel explains, “This isn’t just because everyone is busier. It’s also because children and teens are not getting an absolutely clear message from parents that family time is so important that it is non-negotiable.”

Of the parents polled 17 per cent said that mobiles phones and particularly texting had an impact on cherished time with the family, and 16 per cent blame the TV as the biggest intruder on family time.

Here’s what Noel has found, “Even when children and teens are at home, often they are in front of a screen, rather than interacting fully with their parents. This is partly because of the addictive nature of screens. But it is also because isolating themselves in front of a screen is one way that children and teens try to protect themselves.”

” From what? From the repeating, reminding, nagging, threatening and shouting that happens when tired, stressed parents are trying to get children to focus on their homework properly, tidy their room, be civil to their siblings and go to bed on time. It’s a vicious circle. But parents can change this pattern. Parents can significantly influence the development of sensible, mature values and habits. And it can be an enjoyable process.”

Alarmingly, one in ten families polled sit down for a meal together just once in a typical week.

Nick Henry for National Family Week says, ‘National Family Week understand that it’s sometimes difficult to spend mealtimes together, but the benefits of doing so are well known and lead to a happy, stable family environment. Small things like eating breakfast together as a family and discussing the plans for the day ahead are fundamental for a balanced family life.” Noel agrees: “All the research points to the many benefits of families eating together: better communication, better grades at school, more pleasant sibling interaction, more cooperation and confidence. Eating meals together even reduces the likelihood of teens experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and premature sexual activity. Parents intuitively understand that eating meals together can be an important bonding experience, but they don’t know how to make it happen. If families are eating together two or three times a week, as seems to be the norm, plan for and insist on a few more meals together every week. When that pattern has been established, continue to increase it gradually.

Teens may object greatly at first, but they soon will come to enjoy and look forward to family meals, as long as parents refrain from lecturing and telling off. And avoid asking ”How was your day?” or “What did you do at school?” These questions almost always result in grunts or monosyllabic answers. Instead, show an interest in whatever your child or teen wants to talk about. And be willing to share interesting parts of your day.”

Shockingly more than three quarters of parents think that many people have lost decent family values like eating at the dinner table, having a Sunday lunch and chatting without the TV on.

The study found that 37 per cent of parents polled insist that their child does not bring their mobile phone or any gadgets to the dinner table, although a more laidback 21 per cent think it’s harmless. However, Noel says, “Mealtimes are times for the family to interact. So make sure that mobile phones and other electronic gadgets are not even in the same room.”

But the findings also revealed that one in ten families eats take-aways a couple of times a week and more than one in twenty families eat microwave ready-meals up to four times a week. Half of families eat out just once a month.

Nick Henry for National Family Week added: ‘’The world is changing and is more fast-paced than ever before, so it’s easy to see how things like take-aways and ready meals seem like a convenient choice for families – although it’s not wise to indulge too often in these types of food.”

In total, the typical family in Britain spends less than two and half hours of quality time together in an average week, compared to over four hours a week as per the result of a similar study by National Family Week in 2010.

Noel says,”It’s worrying that in one short year quality time in families has been reduced by almost half. When children and teens prefer to be with their friends, either in person or texting, parents may wonder whether it’s right to insist on families spending time together. The answer is a resounding YES. We need to insist because otherwise screens can take over more and more of a young person’s life. ”

Children and teens need to spend a lot of time with their parents. This is how young people will absorb important values. Parents are reluctant to insist because kids complain that it’s boring or that they would rather spend time with their friends. If you insist you will see that your children and even your teens can enjoy your company and at the same time be learning so much about life values and important habits. They don’t learn these things at school because it is not the school’s job. They can’t learn these things from their peers because their peers also, naturally, have immature values.

Of the 5000 parents that took part in the study more than half 54 per cent said that on their part day-to-day chores and errands were the biggest disruption to family life, followed by long working hours.

Here’s a tip from Noel, “After dinner, before allowing everyone to scatter, have all family members spend fifteen minutes as a team clearing the table, doing the washing up, tidying, feeding the pets, whatever needs doing. This eliminates nagging and interrupting children after they are already engrossed in their own activities.”

But it’s not just technology disrupting family life, a third of parents reckon the gloomy economic climate has taken its toll on family life.

Three quarters of families have said that they have less disposable income to spend on days out and 57 per cent said the rising cost of living and running a car makes it impossible to afford luxuries for the family.

One in ten parents have even been forced to get a second job to make ends meet, which subsequently means they miss out on precious family time.