How Families Are Staying Close During the Pandemic
Last month, FamilyAlbum teamed up with OnePoll to conduct a survey of 2,000 parents to find out how they’re staying in touch with loved ones during the pandemic.
Maintaining Distance
The research confirms it: families are taking social distancing seriously.
Two-thirds of parents are reluctantly maintaining social distance from loved ones because of COVID-19. Nearly half said it’s the longest they’ve ever gone without seeing extended family. And 45% of parents think their children will go the rest of the year without spending quality time with extended family members in person.
Staying in Touch
While families aren’t spending as much time together, there’s no question that they’re staying close.
Almost seven in ten (69%) say they’re keeping in touch with extended family now more than ever. Roughly the same number (68%) say that they’ve gotten creative with their communication, trying out mobile game nights, book clubs, watch parties, snail mail, and more!
In addition to finding new ways to stay in touch, families are relying on tried-and-true methods. Over half of parents say they’ve been having more phone calls and video chats with family. There’s been an even larger increase in photo and video sharing: three in five parents report sharing more photos and videos with loved ones than before the pandemic.
Celebrating Milestones
Over 85% of parents say their child has reached a milestone during the pandemic. And four in five parents are heartbroken that their loved ones aren’t there to witness them in person.
To celebrate, most parents take photos or videos of the moment (58%). Other popular ways to celebrate include video chatting with loved ones (51%), making a big deal of it at home (46%), texting or calling loved ones (43%), and buying little presents (35%). Still others are getting creative with stickers or special treats.
So what milestones are parents celebrating? Here are the top five:
- Celebrated a birthday 39%
- First word 19%
- Learned to roll over 18%
- First laugh 17%
- First smile 17%
Plus a few of our personal favorites:
- First tooth
- Potty trained (mostly)
- Potty trained (completely)
- Please and thank you
With so many exciting and adorable developments, it’s no wonder 83% of parents have shared photos and videos of their child’s milestones with loved ones during the pandemic.
Why Share Photos/Videos?
The top three ways to keep loved ones in the loop were phone calls, video chats, and sharing photos/videos. Parents say that they like to share photos and videos because they can share little moments that loved ones might not otherwise see (40%) and because it’s a quick way for them to keep everyone updated (39%).
Sharing Made Easy
Looking for a safe and easy way to share? FamilyAlbum was the most-used option among seven popular photo-sharing apps. In fact, the data shows that one in five parents are using FamilyAlbum as a tool to share moments with loved ones even when they can’t be together in person.
With FamilyAlbum, it’s easy to keep loved ones updated, regardless of distance. Simply download the app to your device, and you can safely share and organize your baby’s photos and videos for free—unlimited storage included! Tap here to start your album now.