Pushy parents

Many school children are ‘working’ for up to 53 hours a week, according to a new survey. According to the research, pushy parents are over-timetabling their children with extra-curricular activities in addition to their school commitments. In comparison, the average parent only completes a 35 hour week at work.

At least half of parents have spent hours and hours trying to teach their children how to recite their alphabet, numbers, days of the week, cities and months of the year.

On top of the 32.5 hours a week at school, Monday to Friday and six hours of homework each week, many parents enrol kids into at least three activities a week. Popular extra curricular activities include language lessons, sports clubs and music lessons, adding a further three hours to the timetable of events.

Nigel Crawford, spokesperson for TheBabyWebsite.com, which commissioned the poll of 3,000 parents of school children said: “These figures really are incredible, and seem to indicate that children are losing out on a real childhood. I’m sure most parents will be able to relate to the findings, and admit they too enrol their child into every class going and try to be as active and hands-on as possible with their kids.

“Unfortunately there’s a very fine line between giving a child the attention and time they deserve, and overloading them with information and learning.”

The poll also reveals that 85 per cent of parents feel it is right to try and educate their children as much as possible when they are not in the school environment. And 54 per cent admit they have always been concerned about their child’s development, worrying whether they know as much as other children in their age group.

At least half of parents have spent hours and hours trying to teach their children how to recite their alphabet, numbers, days of the week, cities and months of the year. Catching a ball, swimming, and knowing how to cook basic foods are also high on the list of things parents think children should know by the time they go to school.

However, 36 per cent of those polled admit they worry their child does too much, and 53 per cent have considered that their child should spend more time having fun. 27 per cent of parents have at some point taken their child out of classes such as swimming, learning French or piano, claiming their child look exhausted from all the activities they were doing.

89 per cent, however, say they genuinely believe they are trying to do the best by their child in the long run.

Attends school - 32.5 hours a week
Homework - 6 hours a week
Three classes - 3 hours a week
Active read to / with - 5 hours and 10 minutes a week
Being taught through play - 7 hours a week

Total time spent working - 53 hours and 40 minutes a week