Majority of American Parents Feel Overwhelmed, Nearly Half Don't Know Where to Look for Support
New Survey Finds Parents Feel Unprepared for Back-to-School; Sittercity Launches Free Planning Assistant Tool to Help Parents Identify Child Care Needs
SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- After a year and a half of managing the mental load of child care, education and enrichment for children, parents are at their breaking point, according to a new survey of 2,000 American parents of school-aged children. The study, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sittercity, America's first online source for in-home care, found that 60 percent of parents find the mental load of parenting to be overwhelming, but nearly half (45 percent) don't even know where to look when it comes to planning child care.
Key survey findings include:
- Unprepared and Overwhelmed: The majority (51 percent) of parents said they don't feel prepared for the upcoming school year, and one in three parents said they are only now getting the hang of their current routine.
- Crisis Continues: Unsurprisingly, 70 percent of parents agree that having an extra set of hands would bring them a lot of relief in the back-to-school routine. However, 45 percent don't even know where to look when it comes to planning child care.
- Seeking Support: Even though all parents with school-aged children are stretched thin, 13 percent reported they don't have any support options when it comes to filling their child care gaps. Of those who do, the majority (57 percent) turn to their spouse, partner or another family member for child care, followed by after school programs (12 percent), a friend or neighbor (6 percent) or a babysitter or nanny (3 percent).
- Routine Rush: The never-ending ups and downs of the last year have certainly made an impact, as nearly seven in 10 parents (69 percent) said they are overwhelmed by the constant routine changes of the past year.
- Remaining Remote: Although 86 percent of parents with school-aged children said learning in a classroom setting is important for their child's socialization, 25 percent report their children will continue virtual or remote learning, followed by 21 percent who said their children will attend a mix of remote and in-person learning. Five percent will homeschool their children this year.
- Bright Side: While the pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for parents, more than three-quarters (77 percent) said they've learned more about their children over the past year due to more time spent together.
As part of its mission to help families minimize the cognitive load of finding and managing high-quality, trustworthy and enriching child care solutions, Sittercity created a free Planning Assistant tool to help parents identify and understand the type of individualized support that is best suited for their family. In just two minutes, the Planning Assistant helps parents determine the type of child care that will best support their needs, where to find it and how to ask for it.
"It's unrealistic to expect parents to identify and hire the best type of child care for their family without guidance," said Jada Rashawn, Sittercity's Child Care Expert and Professional Caregiver. "With proper resources, parents can build a support system that actually works for their family, giving them more space to take care of themselves and raise the best children possible."
Methodology
The Sittercity survey of 2,000 American parents of school-aged children was conducted by One Poll on behalf of Sittercity. The survey was conducted on June 15, 2021.
About Sittercity
Sittercity, a Bright Horizons company, is a technology company working to reimagine the in-home child care industry. As the first and largest digital platform for finding in-home care, Sittercity connects millions of parents with babysitters and nannies every year. Sittercity is radically simplifying the way families search for, screen, and hire trusted care—whether in person or virtually. Headquartered in Chicago, Sittercity offers families nationwide access to a child care support team that can be ready for anything. For more information, go to http://www.sittercity.com.
Sittercity Press Contact:
Tisha Ferraro
[email protected]
(775) 848-8231
Media Contact
Tisha Ferraro, The Key PR, 7758488231, [email protected]
SOURCE Sittercity
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