Time off during the school year is always something to celebrate. Whether it’s a two-week holiday absence, spring break, or the joyous lazy days of summer, kids everywhere rejoice at the sound of the school bell ending their day and starting their vacation. These days, it seems parents are celebrating just as much as (or more than) their children–and a new study might explain why. It turns out that one survey is verifying what every mom and dad already knew: getting your kids ready for school is exhausting.

A 2018 survey by well-known brand Kellogg’s polled over 2,000 parents about their morning routines during the school year. The goal? Find out what the hustle is really like during that first back-to-school day for them and their kids. The not-so-surprising results show that parents perform an average of 43 tasks before they ever make it into the office. That accounts for an overall extra 10 hours and 15 minutes added to a typical 40-hour workweek.

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The Early-Morning Battle Of Getting Kids Ready

One of the hardest parts about getting the kids ready for school is the average early-morning start times of most schools. According to a study done by the CDC, a whopping 93% of high schools and 83% of middle schools start their days before 8:30 am. Elementary schools are usually no exception, meaning the average school-aged parent has to drag themselves out of bed around 6:00 am just to make sure everyone gets out of the house on time.

Of course, the battle doesn’t end once parents get their kids out of bed. The Kellogg’s survey noted that parents have to remind their children at least twice during the morning to get dressed, brush their teeth, or put on their shoes. These personal grooming tasks will involve the parents of younger aged children who haven’t quite gotten the hang of it themselves. And because of this, parents often neglect these tasks for themselves until the last minute. Fourty-three percent of women surveyed admitted to putting on their makeup during their morning commute, while 52% of men shave in their car mirrors. Aside from being inconvenient, these tasks can also be dangerous–but moms and dads often feel they have no choice if they want to look presentable for work…and get the kids to school.

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43 Tasks Before 9:00 am

A laundry list of tasks has to be completed by parents before their kids ever see the classroom each day. While each separate chore is simple on its own, combining them together is a recipe for exhaustion. While people without kids also perform these tasks (and some of them are optional), a typical morning involving even half of this list would tire out anyone.

To name a few, some of these tasks include:

  • Brushing your teeth
  • Getting the kids to brush their teeth
  • Getting yourself dressed
  • Making breakfast for the kids
  • Packing/making your own lunch for work
  • Packing/making your kids’ lunch
  • Packing the kids’ backpacks
  • Making/eating your own breakfast
  • Getting the kids dressed
  • Making the beds
  • Feeding the pets
  • Doing dishes/cleaning
  • Folding clothes
  • Putting a load of laundry in
  • Commuting to work
  • Taking your kids to school
  • Walking the dog
  • Locking Up

It’s no wonder that, with so many individual tasks, parents admitted to resorting to bribery to getting their kids ready. Thirty-nine percent surveyed use time on electronics, 38% use a new toy or game, and 33% use extra TV time to incentivize their kids to get themselves out the door.

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Negative Effects And How To Combat Them

Parents and kids have more stress and expectations placed on them like never before. This can have a negative effect leading to burnout and exhaustion. The CDC, in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics, has recommended later start times, especially for adolescents. Teenagers aged 13 to 18 years old experience shifts in their biological rhythms, tending to get sleepier later at night and requiring more sleep in the early mornings. When adolescents don’t get enough sleep, this can affect their weight, mental health, moods, and performance in school.

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Parents can help to ease the burdens on themselves–and their kids–by putting some simple rules and guidelines in place throughout the school and work week. Setting appropriate bedtimes, dimming the lights at night, and setting a media “curfew” can help everyone in the family get to sleep on time and make waking up the next day less exhausting. Meal prepping lunches, laying out clothes for the next day, and having easy snacks to grab for breakfast can also help shave more time off your morning routine.

While it may be a struggle for families to get out the door, Kellogg’s survey confirms it: the struggle is real. The next time you feel like you’ve done an entire day’s work in the early morning hours, you’re not crazy: you actually have. So when those school breaks roll around, you’ve definitely earned the right to do a happy dance!

*Article originally appeared at Healthy Holistic Living