Overworking our children: Centre Parcs report released

Shattered kids are 'working' for more than 46 hours a week, according to new statistics.

The shock research shows that parents are over-timetabling their children with extra-curricular activities in addition to their school commitments.

This means exhausted children are actually working harder than the average parent who only completes a 37.5 hour week at work.

The average child already completes 30 hours and 50 minutes a week at school Monday to Friday, as well as seven hours and 51 minutes of clubs and homework each week.

Actively reading with parents daily accounts for a further five hours and 49 minutes a week.

And finally, the Center Parcs study of 2,000 parents found the average child also helps with housework for up to an hour and 37 minutes each week.

Center Parcs' Colin Whaley said: “We commissioned this report to further understand family life and what challenges parents and children are facing and overcoming, so we can always ensure we’re offering what they need.

“What has undoubtedly come out of this is the need for families – parents and children alike – to take time out to relax.”

In response to the findings, Center Parcs has commissioned Channel 4 child psychologist Dr Sam Wass to develop a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Free Time – which equates to three hours and 51 minutes every day.

The RDA, which was inspired by the government guidelines we use for fruit and vegetables, is based on three hours on a week day and six hours a day at the weekend, calculated using time needed for a variety of free-time activities which will allow children to use their imagination and develop their creative thinking.

Dr Sam Wass 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 in fact, research suggests that 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.

'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.”

A quarter of parents questioned simply like their children to be busy – and as such the average child will have experienced swimming lessons, football, gymnastics and either brownies or cubs.

Researchers for Center Parcs also polled 1,000 children aged six to 11, to find out their views on how much they have to do in a day – it shows 44% of kids reckon they do more in a day than their own parents. And a quarter of kids questioned admitted they only take part in after school activities because their parents tell them to.

In particular, children most dislike swimming lessons, followed by football and foreign language lessons.

Colin added: “Parents are really going above and beyond to do what they think is best for their child. As a parent myself, I was initially taken aback by the suggested recommended daily allowance, but it gave me food for thought about whether or not my own children currently achieve it.

“Clubs and sport play an important role for their development and life skills but creating a balance with some more simple time out together is clearly very important.”

AVERAGE CHILD’S WEEKLY TIMETABLE

School: 30 hours 50 minutes

Clubs/Homework: 7 hours 51 minutes

Reading: 5 hours 49 minutes

Housework: 1 hour 37 minutes

TOTAL = 46 hours 7 minutes