Today is the day parents should start getting their kids ready to go back to school, according to research.
A poll of 1,200 parents, with children aged five-16 found – on average – the 18th of August is the perfect time to start in order to fit everything in.
Buying new school uniforms is the job parents will prioritise first, followed by getting them new shoes – as 56 per cent say it is important to have time to ‘break them in’ before term starts in September.
But parents are likely to leave trips to the hairdressers and barbers until last.
Another late task is buying new stationery and organising their workstations – with 30 per cent believing it will help motivate them before the first week back.
It also emerged one in four parents even think the run up to getting the kids back to school ready is more stressful than preparing for Christmas.
A spokesperson from label maker DYMO, which commissioned the study, said: “Organisation is key to getting the kids back to school.
“But with so much to fit in, it can become a very stressful time for parents.
“However, our research shows despite the pressure parents face, they are plotting their return with an almost military style precision.
“They know what they have to get out of the way first – and also what can wait until last.”
The research also found 58 per cent of parents often underestimate how much work goes into getting their kids ready to go back to school.
Whereas 54 per cent admit it is always a rush to fit everything in come the end of August, with buying news shoes (25 per cent) the job parents dread the most.
And 23 per cent get stressed re-establishing their routines – like bedtimes and mealtimes.
Per child, mums and dads estimate they will spend an average of £189 getting them ready for the news school term.
However, 55 per cent are worried not everything they buy will last the entire year – with items getting lost, broken or ripped.
As a result, 69 per cent will ‘name’ everything to ensure as little as possible goes missing.
The survey, conducted via OnePoll.com, also explored the shopping habits of parents throughout the back to school build up – with 41 per cent aiming to do the bulk of their buying at supermarkets.
One in five will grab the lion’s share at discounters, but just 12 per cent will do most of it online.
Of those popping to the shops, they hope to get everything in an average of four different retailers and get it all done within five hours.
However, 75 per cent describe dragging their little ones around the shops as ‘exhausting’.
As a result, for parents, once their children have been dropped off at the school gates come September, 45 per cent feel an overwhelming sense of relief.
The DYMO spokesperson added: “It is no surprise parents feel relieved once the back to school countdown has finally come to an end.
“So much effort and organisation will go into getting them ready for school after a long summer.
“And that’s why we try to take some of the pressure away by offering simple solutions with our products to help parents organise workplaces and equipment with no hassle at all.”
