Ask any parent and they’ll tell you it’s a chore to try and get their kid to go to sleep. Just how bad is it? Well, a new survey reveals just what it takes, and it’s downright exhausting…to the parent that is.
The survey finds:
- Parents of children between three and ten spend 34 minutes each night trying to get their kids to bed.
- That translates to nearly four hours a week, or nine full days a year.
- The average kid will come up with three excuses a night to put off going to bed.
- Among the most popular excuses:
- Saying they’re not tired
- Saying they’re hungry
- They need the toilet
- Suddenly saying they are thirsty
- Asking for another story
- Saying they’re too hot/too cold
- Suddenly wanting to tell you EVERYTHING about their day
- They want a kiss/cuddle from the other parent
- Needing to find a certain toy
- Wanting longer cuddles with you
And even when parents finally get them to shut the lights and go to bed, there’s no guarantee they’ll sleep.
- The survey shows that there will be four nights a week where parents think their kids are asleep only for them to hear noises telling them otherwise.
- 83% of parents admit they go back to check that their kids are actually asleep, with many finding that’s not the case.
- Half have found their kids playing with their toys when they should be asleep.
- 28% have found them on a tablet.
- 21% have found them watching TV
- 20% have found them gaming.
Source: SWNS Digital