Every evening when my husband and son reach home from work and school, the first thing they do is switch on the living room fan, followed by the television set. After that, when my husband has settled himself, he will take out his handphone to read his messages while our son will either watch his favourite TV shows or play games on my handphone.

Many people say that only the young are addicted to screens – whether it is the TV, computer, tablet PC or smartphone. But I have found that my 50-year-old husband and six-year-old son are equally addicted to screens.

I have been thinking of introducing a “no IT gadgets” rule after everyone gets home. I was thinking of diverting their attention by playing games we used to play as kids, such as puzzles or building blocks. I have tried it a few times in the past few weeks, but my son has already complained that the games are boring and that he has played these games many times before.

This month, my son will be celebrating his birthday and I was thinking of buying him a new set of games. I believe that the time has come for me to do something to change our family habits for a healthier family with closer bonds.

As I always believe, quality time for the family is very important for working parents and their children as most of our time is spent working, travelling, schooling or online. So, when we are home, we should spend our precious time doing things together like preparing and enjoying a nice meal and house chores. Last but not least, we must also “play” together.

Ho Mei Ling