Do you ever find yourself at the end of a chaotic morning, feeling as though you’ve already completed a full day’s work? Well, you’re not imagining it. A recent survey involving 2,000 parents revealed that the myriad tasks required to get children ready for school translates to the equivalent of an extra workday each week. Yes, it’s that demanding for parents out there.
Conducted by a team at Kellogg’s, the research highlights the often-overlooked reality of morning routines. For instance, by the time the school year wraps up, parents will have urged their children to hurry up nearly 540 times. Makes sense, right?
On average, parents dedicate about 10 hours a week to tasks before they even start their paid jobs. This includes everything from getting themselves ready—brushing teeth and dressing—to assisting their kids in similar endeavors, commuting, preparing breakfast, packing lunches and school bags, and even unloading the dishwasher. The list feels never-ending.
In fact, parents tackle an average of 43 tasks each morning. The survey also uncovered the rather inconvenient truth that kids will typically dirty their clothes with spills twice a week during this preparation. Who would’ve thought?
To manage this hefty workload in just an hour or two, most parents of school-aged children are up by 6 a.m. (or even as early as 5:30 a.m. in some households!). This early start isn’t just about getting everyone dressed and fed; it also involves planning for the entire day ahead—defrosting meals, signing permission slips, making daycare arrangements and paying bills, all while trying to squeeze in a workout.
It’s no surprise we’re all on the brink of exhaustion by mid-morning. “We aimed to highlight the reality of what mornings look like for parents before their kids head off to school,” remarked Sarah Thompson, Vice President of Marketing at Kellogg. And honestly, that list is incredibly real. Just thinking about tomorrow morning is enough to make my head spin!
So, while we now understand these “real mornings,” will it change anything? One might hope to get more organized the night before, but evenings are often packed with sporting events, errands, chores, and preparing meals. The struggle is real, but knowing we’re all in this together can encourage us to share responsibilities with partners and perhaps enlist the kids to help out too. This way, everyone can catch a breath—or even sleep in occasionally.
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Summary:
Parents spend an average of 10 hours each week preparing their children for school, equating to an extra workday. The chaos of morning routines involves countless tasks, from dressing to meal prep. Understanding the workload can foster shared responsibility within families.