One in four mums take over two hours to leave house with toddler

02 February 2024 , 20:22

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Some mums can take longer than they want to leave the house (Image: Getty Images/Blend Images RM)

A new study has revealed that for one in four UK mums, it takes over two hours to leave the house with their toddler. This increases to three hours for an unfortunate 9% of mums.

Only a quick 6% claim they can get out the door in under half an hour, while for 42% it takes up to two hours. The biggest delay for mums (54%) is preparing the nappy bag, with 42% saying a dreaded poo explosion is the biggest obstacle, according to research by Little Starts Gift Cards.

With 91% of mums facing a tantrum when trying to leave the house, 75% admit to leaving without brushing their teeth in their efforts to get their little ones out the door.

Little Starts Gift Cards conducted the comprehensive study to highlight the everyday struggles mums face across the nation. The study also emphasises the importance of new mums getting out the house, with 56% admitting that not leaving their home negatively impacts their mental health.

The data also shows that 88% of mums believe that getting out of the house to visit classes and activities is important for their child's development.

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A whopping 81 per cent of parents believe that taking their kids out helps them meet other parents, which boosts their mental health.

Little Starts Gift Cards revealed that half of mums bribe their kids with iPad time to get them out of the house, while 35 per cent use sweet treats as leverage.

However, these tactics don't always work, with 58 per cent admitting they've had to cancel plans because they couldn't get out the door.

With a Little Starts Gift Card, parents can access thousands of classes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers across the UK. It's an ideal gift for new parents who want to give experiences rather than 'things'.

Katie Lavis, founder of Little Starts Gift Cards and a mum-of-two, said: "Our new study highlights the importance of mums being encouraged and supported to get out of the house, whilst looking after their little ones. This can be challenging, but the benefits for mum and children are clear to see.

"As child activity experts and mums ourselves, at Little Starts we understand the benefits of baby, toddler and preschool classes to not only children's development but also to parents' mental health, giving them that much-needed purpose to get parents out of the house and space to meet like-minded people and friends."

S P Jones