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Summer break or nightmare? According to research, 70 percent of parents are stressed about summer and the majority would be ok sending the kids back to school after just a week off.
A poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children uncovered 40 percent of parents still have nothing planned for their kids this summer and are stressing on what to plan for the time off school.
Parents are not shy about discussing their dislike over planning what their kids will do over summer break. Over a quarter of parents revealed they’d rather stand in line at the DMV than plan their kids’ summer break.
The study conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Groupon examined the familial desires and wishlists of 2,000 parents and found that parents would rather do a number of boring, mundane, and even stressful things than plan their kids’ summer.
Parents said they’d rather run late for a meeting, stand in line at the DMV, file their taxes, get yelled at by their boss or talk to their in-laws on the phone for an hour than plan their kids summer break.
Results showed the biggest challenge to keeping kids busy during the summer is the fact that parents have to work and juggle childcare around their normal routines.
Half of the parents studied (50 percent) revealed they struggle to keep their children occupied during the summer because of work responsibilities.
Other reasons for parents struggling to find ways to keep their kids busy included not being able to afford everything and simply running out of ideas after a week.
Eighty-four percent find it challenging to simply locate a central place where they can conveniently find and buy things to do with their children.
But, it seems a week is all a parent can stand with their kids home from school. Results revealed that after just one week into summer vacation, 56 percent of parents are ready for their kids to go back to school.
“There’s no question that summer disrupts the routine of just about every family so it’s totally normal to feel stress and anxiety,” said Brian Fields, Groupon’s head of fun things to do.
Should they get the time, teaching kids to play baseball, how to ride a bike, and taking them to an amusement or water part are just some of the top 10 things parents want to check off with their little ones this summer.
The number one thing parents want to accomplish with their kids before they leave the nest is taking a road trip. Forty-seven percent of the parents surveyed revealed heading out on the road with their kids is on their family bucket list.
But, that’s not all that parents want to check off before their kids head out on their own. From teaching them how to ride a bike and how to play baseball to going camping and visiting National Parks, parents have a wide array of things that they want to experience with their children.
Another thirty-eight percent dream of visiting an amusement or water park with their kids before they fly the nest.
In fact, over half (52 percent) said they have a family bucket list of things they want to do with their kids.
But, why are parents creating family bucket lists? Turns out, the number one reason for a family bucket list comes from the desire to make sure kids are cultured.
Having cultured children is one reason for family bucket lists, but for 51 percent of the parents surveyed, having a family bucket list is a way for them to spend quality time with their kids.
Forty-five percent said they have a family bucket list because they want to do things that both their kids and they themselves will enjoy together while a further 44 percent have family bucket lists because of their increasing concern over their kids’ screen time.
Beyond the concern over screen time, keeping kids busy during the summer reduces their chance of breaking things around the house. Fifty-four percent of parents revealed they’ve had their kids break something in the house while they’ve been on break.
In fact, the average parent has witnessed their kid break four different things over an entire summer.
“The summer months are a great opportunity for parents to strengthen the bond they have with their children. Coming up with a list of things you want to do with your kids before they turn 18 is a great way to stay organized and it can not only set the roadmap for this summer, but for many summers to come” added, Brian Fields.
TOP 20 FAMILY BUCKET LIST ITEMS
1. Take a road trip
2. Teach them how to ride a bike
3. Go camping
4. Teach them how to cook/bake
5. Visit an amusement park or water park
6. VIsit National Parks
7. Go to Disney World/Land
8. Visit a zoo or aquarium to learn about animals
9. Travel abroad
10. Teach them how to play baseball
11. Go to a football game
12. Visit the beach and collect shells
13. Attend an outdoor festival or concert
14. Go to a soccer game
15. Visit a museum I’ve never been to
16. Make a photo journal or a family yearbook
17. Check out the local country fair
18. Go to a baseball game
19. Go horseback riding
20. Mother/daughter spa day
TOP 5 REASONS TO HAVE A FAMILY BUCKET LIST
1. Want to make sure kids are cultured
2. Spending quality time with kids
3. Do things both kids and parents enjoy together
4. Concerned about kids’ screen time
5. Limit the amount of boredom kids have
TOP 5 CHALLENGES TO KEEPING KIDS BUSY DURING THE SUMMER
1. Still having to work
2. Planning/scheduling everything
3. Can’t afford everything
4. Running out of ideas after a week
5. Lack of a central place where parents can conveniently buy things to do with kids
TOP 5 THINGS PARENTS WOULD RATHER DO THAN PLAN KIDS’ SUMMER BREAK
1. Run late for a meeting
2. Stand in line at the DMV
3. File taxes
4. Get yelled at by boss
5. Talk to in laws on the phone for an hour
