By SWNS Staff
NEWS COPY W/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
Coming out of the pandemic, parents are more anxious than usual about back-to-school — so much so, they named the morning hustle of getting their kids ready for school one of their biggest pain points, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 American parents of school-aged children also revealed more than half (51%) of parents don’t feel prepared for the upcoming school year.
Nearly seven in 10 are overwhelmed by the constant routine changes of the past year, and one in three said they’ve only started getting the hang of their current routine.
More than that, 27% said they’ve forgotten what their kids’ normal school morning routine feels like.
It’s no surprise, then, that 57% of parents find the mental load of parenting overwhelming.
And 45% said when it comes to planning child care, they don’t even know where to look.
The study, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sittercity, explored other ways the pandemic has shaped parents’ back-to-school concerns.
With worries about their child getting COVID-19 top of mind for one in four parents, there’s more stress than ever around the commute to school.
More than a quarter of parents are uncomfortable letting their kids ride the bus, so much so that seven in 10 plan to wake up almost half an hour earlier just to drive or walk their kids to school.
But according to 75% of parents, the pandemic has also made kids more self-sufficient.
From dressing themselves (59%) and cleaning up (58%) to doing homework without parental help (49%) and going to sleep on time without being reminded (47%), kids are relieving their parents of some of their daily load by acting an average of two years older.
And 64% have become more lenient when it comes to screen time because they trust their child is doing remote schoolwork during school hours.
But while 87% believe their child has become more mature, 55% have caught their youngsters playing video games instead of doing remote schoolwork.
“After a year and a half of managing the mental load of child care, education and enrichment for children, parents are exhausted," said Zenobia Moochhala, CEO of Sittercity. "Although many have seen their kids mature during these challenging times, the data from this survey shows just how badly parents need additional support.”
Nearly two in five parents feel overwhelmed because their child tends to be picky, and 38% admit there’s just too much for them to manage.
Seven in 10 noted having an extra set of hands would bring them some much-needed relief in the back-to-school routine.
“Families, and moms especially, rely on a myriad of solutions to piece together their child care and enrichment plans, but none are comprehensive or long-term enough,” Zenobia added. “Now more than ever parents need help building a support system that works.”
HOW HAVE CHILDREN BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE PAST YEAR?
- Dresses themselves 59%
- Cleans up after themselves 58%
- Does homework without parental help 49%
- Goes to sleep on time without being reminded 47%
- Cooks for themselves / the family 30%
- Goes to buy groceries / other necessities on their own 24%