Eighty-two per cent of parents are looking forward to the school holidays ending
Parents across the UK admit they are excited about returning to the routine of the school term, a study has found.
Eighty-two per cent of parents look forward to the school holidays ending and getting back into good habits.
And one in four admit that they have been counting down the days until their kids go back to school.
The study of 2,000 mums and dads highlighted that more than half of parents long for September and the routine that comes with it.
More than a third said they missed set bedtimes and a fifth can’t wait to get set mealtimes back in the diary.
The poll by HelloFresh UK also found 69 per cent of parents faced constantly changing plans over the school holidays, leading to food waste as planned meals and snacks were thrown in the bin.
A further 47 per cent of parents are looking forward to getting the family eating a healthier diet again after having given in to their kids’ requests for treats over the summer.
On average families have just under six hours together during the week and, as a result, 63 per cent said they would like to reduce the chores they have in order to make more time together.
HelloFresh UK’s Family Chef, Andre Dupin, said: “When it comes to getting back into a routine, September is bigger than January for most families.
“The start of a new school term is a chance to re-set and get into a good rhythm.
“This research shows that there is a real desire to make sure that the little time parents have with their kids during the week is spent well.”
The study also found that making sure dinner time goes to plan is very important to parents, with 21 per cent saying that if their kids like their meal, they are less likely to fight with their siblings.
Four in 10 said their children are more irritable with a lack of structure, so it’s no surprise that 88 per cent agreed following a set pattern is important for kids.
Half of parents said they waste less food during term time because the family are more likely to eat together and stick to a nightly routine during the week.
While a third of parents reckon they buy more than they need during the holidays because they forget about trips away and busy days out.
Dupin added: “Our team creates balanced and delicious recipes for families to cook from scratch and enjoy at home.
“HelloFresh allows you to save time planning and shopping by delivering all the fresh ingredients straight to your door, leaving you to enjoy the fun part of cooking and discussing everyone’s day over a home-cooked meal.”