THE average mum puts in 31 hours of housework every week, the equivalent of four full working days and made up of 23 hours’ work during the week and another eight hours on a typical weekend according to research by Direct Line.
The study also found that seven out of 10 mums say they never get a proper day off to unwind and enjoy their family, with just six days out a year the average for British families.
The report shows many mums admit dads are either too busy or too tired to take over on a weekend and give them a break, meaning they never get a day to themselves.
Furthermore, the research, commissioned by Direct Line to launch its new rewards programme, Let’s Go, revealed a lack of quality family time for British mums, with nine in 10 feeling they do not spend nearly enough time with the kids and are missing them growing up.
Additionally, it emerged mum is the head of the modern household and six times more likely than dad to be the one organising the family for days out and holidays.
Kerry Chilvers, brands director at Direct Line, said: “Mums are the engine of the family and are heavily relied upon to keep home life as it should be.
''However, as this research shows, so many feel they never really get a proper day off. It’s important to be able to switch off and escape those hectic daily routines.
‘’Running a family is a non-stop job and both parents work very hard but it’s important to make time to stop and just enjoy time with our families too.''
The study found that of the 31 hours the average mum spends doing chores every week, eight hours is washing and cooking, four hours is dedicated to cleaning and two hours of ironing.
While dad tries to be on hand to help, two thirds of mums said their partner is often too exhausted after working all day, and a busy nine in 10 mums felt they do not get enough time to spend proper quality time with their children.
From the stress of getting the kids to school to the point of getting them to bed in the evening, four in five said they spend more time cleaning up after their children than actually being able to play with them.
Even on special days like their birthday or Mother’s Day, 70 per cent of Britain’s mums said they still end up doing work in order to keep the household running smoothly.
The cost of paying for days out, the stress of managing everyone and the kids getting bored quickly leaves seven in 10 mums often dreading the prospect of trying to keep the kids entertained in the school holidays.
Half of mums have even cancelled or avoided a day out in the past because the costs mounted.
When asked to rate the perfect ingredients for a family day out, mums just wanted good weather, value for money and the kids to be in a good mood. UK mums voted huge expenses and unruly kids as the factors most likely to ruin a day out.
Kerry Chilvers added: “Our day-to-day routines seem to get busier and busier and it’s easy to get swamped and with that it’s easy to let the balance between work and play slip.
‘’When it comes to family, a day out together can help break from the normal routine and ensure mum gets that well- earned rest.''
MUM'S WISHES FOR A DAY OUT:
- Good Weather
- Value for Money
- Kids in a good mood
- Somewhere to eat
- Varied entertainment
- Help with the kids
- Someone else driving
- Easy to organise
- Anything that tires out the kids
- iPad/ Portable TV to entertain kids on the journey
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