CHICAGO June 5, 2006 Some 27 percent of working parents said 'the
Internet' was a top concern regarding how their kids will spend their time this
summer, second only to 'associating with the wrong crowd,' according to a
Tell It Now(SM) poll by ComPsych Corporation, the pioneer and worldwide
leader in GuidanceResources (employee assistance programs, behavioral
health, work-life, wellness and crisis intervention services).
ComPsych asked working parents:
What worries you most about how your kids spend their time this summer?
29 percent Associating with the wrong crowd.
27 percent Too much time on the Internet.
22 percent Too much time watching TV.
9 percent Other.
8 percent Not applicable I'm not worried.
5 percent Too much time on iPod/cell phone.
"Children's idle time during summer has always caused concern among working
parents," said Dr. Richard A Chaifetz, chairman and CEO of ComPsych. "But
increased use of the Internet and the harmful exposures it can bring has
heightened these concerns.
"More and more, parents are trying to ensure their kids experience
an 'enriched' summer, with activities like volunteering, day camps and courses
on topics such as SAT preparation," he added. "This serves a dual purpose
keeping kids occupied as well as adding to their academic resume, which will
help in the college application process in the future.
"One way parents can tackle this issue is to call their employer's work-life
program, if available," he said. "Work-life services can help parents find the
right activities to engage their child's time for a safe and healthy summer."
The survey was conducted from March 20 to April 17, 2006, receiving
responses from employees of more than 1,000 ComPsych client companies
nationwide.
About ComPsych
Founded in 1984, ComPsych is the world's largest provider of employee
assistance programs and is the leading provider of fully integrated EAP,
behavioral health, work-life, wellness and crisis intervention services under
the GuidanceResources brand. ComPsych provides services to more than 25
million individuals and 7,000 organizations throughout the U.S. and 92
countries. Clients range from the Fortune 500 to smaller public and private
concerns as well as government entities and Taft-Hartley groups. ComPsych
creates "Build-to-Suit" programs which help employers attract and retain
employees as well as improve employee productivity and performance. For
more information, visit www.compsych.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jennifer Hudson
ComPsych ® Corporation
(312) 595-4048
jhudson[at]compsych.com