We knew parents were busy, but new research breaks down just how packed their days really are. It finds that the average working parent puts in an 18-hour workday when you take into account everything they do for their kids. But this doesn’t mean non-working parents have it easy, they’re still pulling a 17-hour day.
According to a survey of 2-thousand parents, split evenly between working and non-working moms and dads:
- Along with their 9 to 5 job, working parents spend two hours a day on household chores and another two hours driving family members where they need to be.
- They also clock four hours getting their child ready for the day, helping with homework and one more hour doing various tasks and duties.
- Working parents also average two hours of overtime during the work week, on top of their regular hours.
- While non-working parents aren’t going into the office, they’re spending that time with their kids, plus another four hours on cooking, cleaning and other chores, as well as two hours on transportation and another two hours on more tasks and duties.
- So, it’s no wonder that regardless of their employment status, 96% of moms and dads feel that being a parent means they’re always “on call.”
- This packed schedule doesn’t leave much time for “me time,” most parents only get an average of 31 minutes of it a day. But 15% admit they never get “me time” at all.
- And 56% of parents still feel guilty for not spending enough time with their kids.
Source: SWNS Digital
Scott's Thoughts:
- Only 18 hours a day? Somehow it feels like a lot more!
- Gets even harder in a divorced parents situation.
- If you had an extra hour every day to do anything you want, how would you spend it? Sleeping?