The mathematics of the modern British family revealed A few texts, calls or emails here and there might not seem like that much, but when you add it up over the year, we spend a lot of time communicating with loved ones through more modern means. In fact, many parents may even speak to their children more over the phone or internet than they do face-to-face. But it's worrying to see so many are even communicating this way when their partner or children are in the same building or even in the next room. The study found that each week, Brits will send 34 text messages to their partner and children - a total of 1,768 each year. On top of that they also send 10 emails each week or 520 a year as well as post 468 messages on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. An hour and 18 minutes of each week is also spent talking to their other half or offspring during 12 different phone calls. Over the year, that amounts to 624 telephone conversations lasting a total of almost 68 hours. It also emerged that more than one in five talks to their partner through video calling over the internet, while another 29 per cent catch up with their children by speaking online. But while half say they usually get in touch with their family members to get them to do or pick-up something for them, 52 per cent admit they are usually just checking up on them. Researchers also found that 44 per cent of people have even texted, emailed or phoned their partner or children from a different room while in the same house. Sixty per cent of those said say they have to do that because their kids or partner can't hear them but another 33 per cent admit they are just too lazy to get up and go and speak to them. More than four in ten parents even claimed they are more likely to communicate with their children via text or email than actually see them face-to-face. But 29 per cent of people have gone on to fall out with their partner or children because they didn't answer their call, texts or emails. The study also revealed that Brits are most likely to talk to their partner over the phone, followed by text messages and email. However, when it comes to checking in with their children, parents are most likely to rely on text messages to get hold of them, followed by a phone call and email.