New data has revealed that almost a quarter of parents are considering ditching school in favour of homeschooling their kids, with most of them doing so to avoid the ‘daily grind’ of the morning school run.
Weekday mornings can be beyond stressful. Making sure everyone is up and ready, struggling to wake up early yourself, and rushing the kids out the door to get them to school on time (which can be surprisingly damaging according to experts), it's all the perfect equation for stress.
And new research has suggested that a lot of parents are over it. According to data collected by My Name Tags, a staggering 77% of parents find school mornings stressful, with almost half saying that the morning rush leaves them feeling like 'bad parents.'
It appears that the whole family is feeling the strain of these stressful mornings as kids pick up on their parents' rushed routine, with 44% of kids saying they also get stressed as they try to get out of the door on time.
The stress, the research shows, leaves 'the majority of parents' feeling negative about the day as soon as they wake up, with this leading them to argue with their child regularly during the morning routine.
As a result, 35% of parents say their child has gone to school upset and 29% have been reduced to tears themselves because of a bad school run. It’s no surprise then, that 41% of parents believe their family would get on better if they didn’t have to do the weekday morning routine.
It's led many parents to take, or at least consider, extreme action. According to the data, almost a quarter of families now feel tempted to homeschool their child simply in a bid to avoid the morning routine.
It sounds drastic but data from the Office for National Statistics shows that, over the last two years, there has been a dramatic increase in homeschooling, with the number of kids studying at home soaring by 11,100 between 2022 and 2023.
But while some clearly feel the need to avoid a hectic morning routine completely, the experts at My Name Tags have some tips you can try to reduce stress before school and make sure you all leave the house on time without having to rush anywhere.
1. Establish happy habits. "Our research shows that families that eat breakfast together are almost twice as likely to have a positive morning than those that eat separately or skip breakfast altogether," they say. "So, why not try setting the alarm a little earlier and preparing a quick breakfast that the whole family can eat around the table together? You could even opt for a make-ahead recipe, like overnight oats, to save you time in the morning."
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. "Whether it’s opting for stick-on name labels over sew-in, or packing shop-bought healthy snacks for the kids rather than homemade treats, we firmly believe parents should never feel guilty for using time-saving hacks. Life is busy enough as it is, so anything that saves you time to focus on keeping yourself and your family happy and healthy can only be a good thing."
3. Encourage independence. "When you’re running late, it’s incredibly tempting to take over by helping your child dress themselves, brush their teeth, or tie their shoelaces. However, this can be damaging in the long run. Using the morning routine as an opportunity to teach your child to take responsibility will be a valuable lesson and help to speed up mornings in the future."
4. Incentivise good behaviour. "Get your kids engaged in getting ready by offering little incentives for them throughout the routine. Could you allow them 10 minutes to play their game after they’ve brushed their teeth? Or their favourite after-school snack if they arrive at school on time? Sometimes a little treat is all it takes to boost children’s motivation."
5. Make the most of your journey. "Whilst getting out of the house can be a challenge, our research found that the majority of parents find the journey itself a more positive experience, claiming it’s a good opportunity to bond with their child. Interestingly, it’s those that walk or cycle to school who are most like to enjoy the journey. Using the school run as an opportunity to get some exercise in as a family will also give you and your child a healthy boost of endorphins to kickstart the day."
As we head into back-to-school season, with the first day of term just around the corner, getting prepared can feel like a daunting task. But we've got you covered. As well as giving you the run-down on school uniform grants and the best back-to-school supplies, we've got insight from Dr Becky who has revealed the 'one thing' parents should do to prepare their kids for going back to school while teachers have also shared the best ways to get your children back-to-school ready.
