January is a month that most of us can’t wait to see the back of. The concept of ‘fun’ seems nothing but a distant memory and there is a general air of gloom about the place. Going back to work after a nice break is never, ever good but it’s the children I feel for the most. The dread of school and early mornings once more. And the homework...oh the homework!
This week there’s been quite a buzz in the news about the fact that children are working harder than ever before with an average slog of 46 hours each week - putting us all to shame!
Center Parcs came up with the figures after conducting a survey to gain a glimpse into family life. They studied 2000 parents and discovered the following:
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The average child completes 30 hours and 50 minutes each week at school as well as an average 7 hours and 51 minutes of clubs and homework.
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Reading at home takes up an average 5 hours and 49 minutes each week.
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The average child helps with household chores for up to 37 minutes each week.
The startling stats have seen the ‘how much homework’ debate rear its head once more, with parents across all social media platforms asking whether it’s right that children have so much studying to do out of school hours. I have often pondered the same question when thrusting books, pens and the dreaded comprehension under the nose of my 7 year old as she wearily sits at her desk…
Channel 4 child psychologist, Dr Sam Wass, who was commissioned by Center Parcs to advise on the findings, says that children should in fact have on average 3 hours and 51 minutes of free time each day.
He said: “Many parents are desperate to do the right thing for their children - we shuttle them back and forth from school, to football, to an after-school club, and then get them home and sit and ensure they do their homework.
‘But research suggests it’s much more beneficial for children if their time is not always so structured. It’s the down-time, when there is not such much going on and the child has to entertain themselves, when they do their best learning.
“There is a huge amount of research that suggests that this child-led, unstructured free play is vital for stimulating imagination and creativity, as well as helping the child to become more self-sufficient.”
With the mountain of homework my children get each week, I’m not sure there are enough hours in the day for all that recommended free time!
When it comes to the household chores however, I might have to ditch those spellings for a night or two. So the average child helps for 37 minutes each week eh? Hmm, that’s the beds, the dishes and the playroom taken care of at least...
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