14 August 2023 , 08:00
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Three-quarters of parents are already dreading the back-to-school routine – with shopping for new school uniform and new school shoes deemed the biggest struggles of preparing for a new term.
Other challenges parents are not ready for as a new school year looms include the school run, and having to wake up earlier each morning to get the children ready.
A poll of 1,300 parents, of 6-16-year-olds, found that it takes an average of 43 minutes on a school day to get the children up, ready, and out of the house.
But over a quarter of those polled (26%) admit they are often late to the school gates – as 27% struggle to get their youngsters dressed into their school uniform.
It emerged that an average of 139 hours a year is spent trying to get kids ready for school – with over a third of parents (36%) saying it is even a struggle to get little ones out of bed on time.
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Three in ten (29%) have to convince their children to clean their teeth, while 19% of parents waste time looking for missing pieces of uniform or school items, and 32% say it is a chore to get their offspring to finish their breakfast on time – or at all.
Parents spend an average of 139 hours a year trying to get their kids ready for school (PinPep)To try and help families with the change in routine, Tu Clothing, which commissioned the research, has teamed up with actor, presenter, and parent, Ore Oduba, and clinical psychologist, Dr Martha Deiros Collado, to create some timed challenges for kids.
The Back to School Morning Challenge includes laying out uniform the night before, a quick morning warm-up routine, timing how fast you can pack your school bag and get dressed, and who is the first person ready at the door.
Dr Martha Deiros Collado said: “You can prepare for back to school by getting your child to practise putting on their school uniform and taking it off, as well as opening and closing their school bag, pencil case, and lunchbox if using it, to get them familiar with it again, and to help cut down time in the morning.
“You could also give them a choice of uniform within school limits – for example, zips versus buttons. It is better for children to help choose their school uniform, as it helps them to feel more in control of the process.
“It’s also good for children to move in the morning as it helps to regulate their bodies, release emotion, and bring in calm.
“To make it more fun and engaging, they could create their own morning challenge at home, to get dressed by the time a favourite song ends, or to race against the clock or a sibling.”
But eight in ten say they like to set fun challenges to liven up the morning routine - like getting kids to race a sibling (PinPep)The study also revealed 34% of parents have enjoyed longer lie-ins without having to get the kids ready for school – and 63% said getting ready for a school day seamlessly would be a “miracle”, according to the OnePoll.com data.
However, 81% of parents said making mornings more fun helps them get through what can often be a “boring daily routine”.
As a result, many consider setting challenges for their kids – like fastest dresser wins prizes (25%), or getting them to race a sibling (25%).
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Victoria Stead, head of childrenswear buying for Tu Clothing, said: “We understand that the back-to-school routine can be daunting, as well as having a new family timetable to follow come term time.
“Parents and carers put pressure on themselves to get everything sorted ahead of school – and, after six weeks off, getting everyone up, dressed, and ready to be at the school gates on time can be a stressful experience.
“It’s important to remember you’re not alone – everyone with children will be adapting to the new school term in their own way.
“We hope our expert-recommended timed activities help provide some inspiration to make some parts of the morning routine more seamless, and – dare we say – more enjoyable.”
TOP 10 BACK-TO-SCHOOL STRUGGLES:
- Shopping for new school uniforms
- Shopping for new school shoes
- All the admin i.e. checking the latest school emails, dates for upcoming events, etc.
- Thinking about having to get up earlier each day to get the kids ready
- Getting children to try on new school uniform
- Thinking about the school run
- Shopping for a new school bag/rucksack
- Naming everything – from child's uniform, to everything they'll take with them
- Getting children to try on new school shoes
- Shopping for new stationery