Clockwork kids kept on schedule by stopwatch mums

Almost two-thirds (63%) of British mums are running their household with military precision to keep on top of hectic family schedules, according to a study by M&S Money. As a result, today's Modern British Women are confident family planners, scheduling their day to a strict timetable - but they and their families could be missing out on vital ‘slow time' say experts.

Like Clockwork

According to the study, over a fifth of mums surveyed (22%) admit to running the family's daily routine like clockwork, strictly adhering to set times for meal time, play time and bed time every day. While two-fifths of families (41%) run to a tight timetable during the school week, less than a third of mothers (27%) play it by ear and take a more relaxed approach to the daily routine. A small proportion of mums questioned (8%) said they felt disorganised or always in a rush in terms of their daily schedule.

More than a third of children (35%) are always on the go - involved in hobbies or after?school activities three times a week or more. One in four children participates in extra-curricular activity every single day of the week. Only a third of families (33%) manage to spend a couple of hours a day enjoying unplanned activity. A fifth of families (19%) fit in only a couple of hours a week together to relax or be spontaneous.

She-time

With every second of the day accounted for, the majority of mums questioned (80%) have less than ¾ of an hour ‘she-time' a day to themselves. Over a quarter of these mums (26%) said they have no free time at all for themselves. Two fifths (40%) of mothers feel that time to themselves is a treat rather than a necessity and just under a quarter (24%) of them admitted to feeling guilty about having time to themselves. When asked what they missed most about their pre-children days, most by mums (19%) said they missed acting on impulse/being spontaneous.

Home-Help Please!

The research found that almost half of mums (44%) receive no help looking after the children from other people (including partners and grandparents). When questioned about what help mums would find most useful in freeing up some time, two-fifths of women (40%) said a cleaner would be top of their wish-list. A third of mothers (33%) would be prepared to pay up to £15 a week to free up time and provide help around the home.

The report's findings originate from key insights taken from the Modern British Women panel created by M&S Money to maintain an ongoing dialogue with women who represent today's female. The panel findings, combined with research commissioned using YouGov, are being released as a series exploring issues, challenges and aspirations of women with regard to lifestyle, family values, work and money.

Brendan Cook, Chief Executive of M&S Money, commented; "This research and the views of our Modern British Women panel reveal a nation of women who are managing the household schedule while still striving to build in time to relax with the family. The majority of our customers are women, and we recognise that they look for service and value to help with their busy lives, which is why M&S Money aims to take the hassle out of family finances".

Child's Eye View

The M&S Money study also questioned children aged seven to 15. The majority of children (77%) said their mums deserved more time for herself and most of them (87%) said they help their mum around the house to free up her time.

According to Donna Dawson, leading psychologist; "While routine undoubtedly has an important part to play in a child's development, it is equally important that children are given a certain amount of freedom and flexibility. In addition to planned out?of?school activities, unscheduled time is key for kids. Whether they end up playing with siblings, kicking a ball around the garden, or making up stories, it's all about learning to think for themselves and to entertain themselves. With today's hectic lifestyles, families should be aiming to have at least an hour a day ‘slow time' to relax together, do nothing, or do something unplanned, that's fun and impulsive.

"It's also important that mums get free time for themselves, so they get a balance between motherhood and womanhood. As the Modern British Women panel findings have shown it's easy for women to get so wrapped up in being a good mother that they de-prioritise their own needs, and it's important that they make time to do something they enjoy. This is particularly true of those mums who work as well as run the household. Being overly organised and structured can be as stressful as being disorganised."