Arlene Phillips with her daughter Abi
As mobile technology has evolved, it seems that parents love keeping tabs on their children with a third of them calling their offspring at least once a day.
Rather than tiring of the constant intrusion, research has found that one in five of us call our mums and dads every day – twice as much as we call our best friends.
The BT Friends & Family Mobile Survey threw up the statistics which show that the paternal bond is as strong as ever in the run up to Mothers' Day. So much so that almost half of UK adults admitted to answering the phone in compromising situations. Far from resenting calls from ‘helicopter parents’, young people are more than happy to share special moments with them.
The top three situations when under 25 year olds wished loved ones had surprised them with a call were: after a big achievement such as running a marathon; at a concert, and on a sunny day on the beach.
From 1 April, BT is revamping its deals to suit 21st Century lifestyles, offering cheaper calls to mobiles from landlines. Someone who is pleased about this new scheme is Strictly Come Dancing Judge and West End show choreographer, Arlene Phillips. She says:
"I have to confess that I find myself constantly picking up the phone to my youngest daughter Abi, 17 - whether it's to lend a supporting ear when she's had a hard day at school studying for her A-levels, what she wants for supper, or how she is going to get home from a late night party. What's great is that thanks to BT's new Friends & Family Mobile, I can chat from home to both my daughters wherever they are, no matter what they're doing and for however long they need and not worry about the bill!"
Fiona Haran