By Danielle Moore // SWNS
NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC
The average American kid has crashed 25 of their parents' work meetings each week since the beginning of the school year.
With many parents working from home and attempting to help with remote learning simultaneously, a new study pinpointed the frequency of the potentially embarrassing disruptions.
Results showed kids come stumbling into digital boardrooms, client calls and other work videos or calls as many as five times a day.
But parents are also far from perfect as the challenges of families living, working and studying shoulder to shoulder become increasingly apparent.
In fact, the average parent has disturbed their child's lesson an average of six times since the beginning of the school year.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sittercity, the survey of 2,000 American parents of school-aged children took a by-the-numbers approach to assessing both the challenges and the opportunities unique to this school year.
Six wifi resets per week, and four “in-class” snack requests per day are now the norm for families with members who are both working and schooling from home.
“Pajama day,” happens an average of five times during each week among those families who are both working and schooling from home.
Additionally, families whose children are learning remotely are now eating an average of six more meals together each week as a result of the situation –and 91% of these parents say they hope the extra quality time continues.
The survey also looked at families’ childcare plans in the event that remote schooling should continue for the rest of the year.
The average parent says their child’s school has already cycled through four different plans for the school year, making planning for childcare a difficult if not impossible task.
It’s no surprise, then, that more than half of those whose child is schooling from home say that virtual schooling has sent their family into a childcare crisis.
Sixty-nine percent of parents say they would usually rely on an older relative for help, but no longer feel comfortable doing so.
Among those whose child is schooling from home part-time or full-time this semester, 26% say they’ve yet to solidify their childcare plans for the school year.
And while 47% of the same group say their spouse is home and can cover childcare, and 30% are receiving help from a friend or relative, 24% have hired a part-time or full-time babysitter.
“The daily interruptions and the constant switching of hats is adding up for parents,” said Elizabeth Harz, CEO of Sittercity.
“Parents are overwhelmed and on the verge of burnout, and the data from this survey shows why. We’re seeing families come to our platform everyday looking for support, flexibility and a bit of control in the face of so much ongoing uncertainty.”
The study also revealed other impacts of the unconventional school year on parents’ work lives.
Sixty-four percent of those whose kids have gone back to in-person schooling agree that now that their child has returned to school full-time, they’re bummed that the extended family time together, at the end of the last school year and over the summer, has come to an end.
And 58% of the same group of respondents say they miss having their work-from-home “co-worker” around.
“The opportunity to have so much additional time with our families is bittersweet. As parents, we’re cherishing the extra moments together but also know we can’t keep up the pace,” added Harz.
“Our new ‘co-workers’ need more support and engagement than we can provide. Having a team of child care professionals to call on can help make the extra time more enjoyable and less of a juggling act.”
A WEEK WORKING FROM HOME WITH KIDS
25 interrupted work calls or meetings
20 snack breaks
6 wifi frustrations
6 additional meals eaten together
5 pajama days
