The old tradition of spending as much time as possible together with family members seems irrelevant nowadays, as more and more people, willingly or unwillingly, cannot find time for their families.

如今，越来越多的人，不管是自愿还是不愿意，都找不到时间陪伴家人，因此，尽可能多地与家人在一起的古老传统似乎已不再适用。

One reason for this trend is that many people think it is more relaxing to spend their off-work time with their friends in such places as tearooms or cafes. Listening to the light music, drinking coffee or tea, and casually chatting with their friends, they find that their fatigue, stress, and anxiety over a day's work are all gone. Intoxicated with this feeling, many people, especially the younger people, prefer to spend time in these places rather than going home.

这种趋势的一个原因是，许多人认为，在茶室或咖啡馆这样的地方，和朋友们一起度过工作之外的时间比较放松。听轻音乐，喝咖啡或茶，随便跟朋友聊天，他们发现他们对白天工作的疲劳、压力和焦虑都消失了。陶醉于这种感觉，很多人，尤其是年轻人，宁愿呆在这些地方而不愿回家。

Another important reason is that many people simply cannot spend as much time at home as before, even if they want to, because they face increasing pressure from work. Some may be forced to work extra hours, and others may have to travel long distances for a business contract. Brian, my friend in the management position of an international company, told me yesterday that he had been on business trips and not seen his wife and kids for three consecutive months!

另一个重要原因是，许多人即使愿意，也不能像以前那样在家里那么长时间，因为他们面临着越来越大的工作压力。有些人可能被迫加班，而另一些人则可能为了一份商业合同而不得不长途跋涉。我在一家国际公司担任管理职务的朋友布赖恩昨天告诉我，他一直在外出差，已经连续三个月没见到妻子和孩子！

Personally, I do not think this is a positive trend. As is known to all, the presence of parents at home is key to the healthy development of their kids. Many children who cannot often see their parents show a symptom known as emotional deficiency. Meanwhile, this trend is also harmful to the family relationship. If they spend less and less time at home, the husband and wife may feel estranged from each other. When children are not well brought up, family relationship not well maintained, then the entire society will suffer. 

就我个人而言，我不认为这是一个积极的趋势。众所周知，父母在家是孩子健康成长的关键。许多不能经常见到父母的孩子表现出一种叫做情绪缺失的症状。同时，这种趋势也对家庭关系造成了危害。如果他们花在家里的时间越来越少，夫妻可能会感到疏远。如果孩子没有得到很好的抚养，家庭关系也没有得到很好的维持，那么整个社会都会受到影响。

1. The old tradition of spending as much time as possible together with family members seems irrelevant nowadays, as more and more people, willingly or unwillingly, cannot find time for their families.

如今，越来越多的人，不管是自愿还是不愿意，都找不到时间陪伴家人，因此，尽可能多地与家人在一起的古老传统似乎已不再适用。

2. Listening to the light music, drinking coffee or tea, and casually chatting with their friends, they find that their fatigue, stress, and anxiety over a day's work are all gone.

听轻音乐，喝咖啡或茶，随便跟朋友聊天，他们发现他们对白天工作的疲劳、压力和焦虑都消失了。

3. Intoxicated with this feeling, many people, especially the younger people, prefer to spend time in these places rather than going home.

陶醉于这种感觉，很多人，尤其是年轻人，宁愿呆在这些地方而不愿回家。

4. Brian, my friend in the management position of an international company, told me yesterday that he had been on business trips and not seen his wife and kids for three consecutive months!

我在一家国际公司担任管理职务的朋友布赖恩昨天告诉我，他一直在外出差，已经连续三个月没见到妻子和孩子！

5. When children are not well brought up, family relationship not well maintained, then the entire society will suffer.

如果孩子没有得到很好的抚养，家庭关系也没有得到很好的维持，那么整个社会都会受到影响。