The biggest back-to-school moans from parents revealed – as Luisa Zissman shares app that helps keep her calm
Ignoring calls and texts, not sharing updates on their whereabouts, and messy rooms are among the top things kids do that frustrate their parents.
A poll of 1,000 mums and dads with children aged between 11 and 17 found many are driven mad when offspring don’t let them know what their plans are after school.
Others see red when youngsters forget to charge their phones, or come home after school later than they’re meant to.
With the back-to-school season just around the corner, 54 per cent of parents reported feeling stressed about the start of the new school year.
However, 77 per cent admit their kids don’t want to think about the new term until the last possible moment – creating extra frustration for mums and dads alike.
To combat this, 40 per cent use alternative tech like location-sharing apps, to help calm their stress and frustrations and co-ordinate busy family schedules better.
The research was commissioned by family connection and safety company, Life360, which has partnered with podcaster and parent, Luisa Zissman, as parents look to coordinate the chaos of family life and alleviate stress this back-to-school season.
Luisa said: “Back-to-school season can be super stressful trying to coordinate the family’s busy schedule.
“It can be made even more difficult when my daughter is off doing her own thing and doesn’t answer calls or texts, or let me know what her plans are after school.
“But I’ve found that giving her the freedom she craves, while staying connected through tech and devices, really helps us both.
“Knowing where she is without having to constantly chase her for updates has taken a lot of stress out of our routine and helped me better coordinate our family’s busy schedule.
“It’s comforting to know exactly when she’s on her way home or heading to a friend’s place.
“This peace of mind lets us navigate the back-to-school chaos with a lot less stress.”
Parents send on average five messages each week asking about their kids’ whereabouts – with 59 per cent sometimes getting ignored – and another four weekly texts trying to find out when they’ll be home.
When asked about why they use location-sharing apps with their children, 56 per cent of those parents polled, via OnePoll, said that it gives them peace of mind.
Three in 10 (28 per cent) said it helps to build trust when they can see their kids are where they said they would be, while 13 per cent find it helps manage busy family schedules.
TOP 30 WAYS 11 TO 17 YEAR OLDS FRUSTRATE THEIR PARENTS:
1. Not tidying their bedroom
2. Leaving dirty dishes in their room
3. Spending too much time on their phone
4. Leaving lights on in empty rooms
5. Not helping with household chores
6. Not answering phone calls or texts
7. Being moody or distant without explanation
8. Leaving wet towels on the floor
9. Staying up late on school nights
10. Leaving shoes in the hallway
11. Procrastinating on homework
12. Playing video games all night
13. Constantly on social media
14. Arguing over screen time limits
15. Not letting you know where they are
16. Swearing and using language I don’t approve of
17. Sleeping in late on weekends
18. Not letting you know their plans
19. Not charging their phone
20. Complaining about school but not doing work
21. Spending hours in the bathroom
22. Asking for lifts at the last minute
23. Eating snacks meant for the family
24. Playing music too loudly
25. Arguing over curfew times
26. Coming home late
27. Losing new school uniform in the first week back
28. Forgetting keys
29. Suddenly needing ingredients for food tech lessons
30. Binge-watching TV series instead of studying
Adjusting bedtimes and wake-up times for school and establishing routine after holiday schedules are the trickiest things for parents to navigate, along with getting them motivated and excited for the new term.
David Rice, international general manager at Life360, added: “The back-to-school season is stressful enough for both parents and kids without constantly chasing each other for updates on each other’s whereabouts.
“By ensuring the whole family is always in the loop, parents and kids can ease some of that anxiety and navigate the chaos with a bit more confidence.”