Study finds getting kids ready for school is equivalent to an extra day of work

Posted in Family.
sponsored-image

Straight from the ‘we could have told you that’ files comes this interesting research.

It reveals – wait for it – that all that nagging, searching, scurrying and generally losing our sh!t to get our little ones ready for school, is bloody hard work.

I know, surprise!

An extra day

The research found that over the course of a week, we spend the equivalent of a full day’s paid work getting our kids ready and off to school before the bell chimes – an acknowledgement that we did it – AGAIN!

So if you ever feel like you’ve worked an extra day by the time you get to the office on a Friday morning, it’s because you have. All that nagging to eat breakfast, pestering to brush teeth and then taking over to shove shoes on because you ARE GOING TO BE LATE, adds up.

And no wonder we are exhausted. That’s a whole extra day’s work. But we know that. Every single parent on the planet knows that. Parenting is all-giving.

But now we have a study to prove it.

Tired mother in kitchen - feature

The findings

The groundbreaking research (ha!) compiled by Kellogg’s, surveyed 2,000 school parents and looked at our workload over a week.

It found that overall, we spend a good ten hours on top of every other thing we do – like paid work, minding younger siblings and keeping on top of the housework (or at least trying to) – ushering our school kids out the door and then driving or walking them to school.

The actual tasks involved in doing this added up to an average of 43 – yep, every single day. It sounds like a lot but as well as mentioning obvious things like finding uniforms, matching socks and packing lunch boxes, it included ‘preparing for the day’ stuff like, defrosting dinner for that night and signing permission slips.

Mother and school boy at front door - feature

The survey also made mention of the annoying fact that kids will often spill something on their uniform while getting ready for the day. As a mum of a schoolboy who wears a WHITE shirt, this is like telling me kids are fussy eaters. Duh!

There’s also the washing load and the pile of clothes that never seems to be put away … wah.

Early risers

The researchers also found that in order to keep on top of all these tasks, which takes us about an hour or two every day, the average school parent is awake by 6am, and one-third are up for the day before 5.30am.

“We wanted to shed light on what real mornings are like for parents before their kids go off to school,” said Jeremy Harper, Vice President of Marketing, U.S. Snacks at Kellogg’s.

Yes, we are so happy you have, but can someone please come and do my ironing and whip up the homemade lunch box snacks I feel guilty about not making/packing?

boy eating lunch in playground

Real mornings won’t change

While the study is like looking into a mirror for school mums and dads, it doesn’t mean change is on the way.

I know I should pack lunch boxes the night before and get the uniforms ready, but I am usually helping my kindergarten kid with his reader and then stacking the dishwasher after cuddling my other little guy to sleep.

I’m spent.

So my mornings won’t change, but at least I can smugly mention this study when asked why I drink so much coffee.

 


Parent School footer dinkusNeed some support to be the best parent you can be? Our Parent School parent coaching experts can help. Click to find out more or book a one-on-one session.

Share

Get more babyology straight to your inbox