Parents spend equivalent of nearly 15 eight-hour days driving kids to school each year: poll

The average parent loses nearly 7,000 minutes a year in the car when the school season is in session.A new survey of 2,000 U.S.millennial parents of school-aged kids found that simply driving their kids to and from their school activities consumes an average of 38 minutes a day.Over the course of an average 180-day school year, that adds up to 6,858 minutes — the equivalent of nearly 15 eight-hour workdays spent behind the wheel.Commissioned by Bob Evans and conducted by Talker Research, this research found that just over three-quarters (77%) of parents said the back-to-school season makes everyday life feel more hectic and unpredictable.Balancing their own schedule with their child’s schedule causes the most friction for their households (52%).The survey also explored other challenges that parents face during the back-to-school season.Topping the list is the rising prices of school supplies and materials (55%).

Nearly three-fourths (71%) of parents said overall back-to-school spending has increased compared to last year.Other challenges parents face include adjusting to new school-year routines (42%) and planning and preparing weekday meals (41%).With challenges come compromises, as parents sacrifice their personal time/hobbies (49%) and sleep (40%) to make everything fit together during the back-to-school season.Parents are focused on lowering their personal stress levels, saying they would find easy-to-prepare meals (53%), getting more sleep (52%), and assistance with grocery shopping (49%) helpful in reducing stress during the back-to-school season.“When you look at the numbers, parents are spending the equivalent of nearly three full workweeks each school year just driving to and from activities,” said Jason Roche, vice president, Bob Evans Farms portfolio.“That kind of time commitment is exactly why dinner needs to fit easily into their day with comforting meal options that help weeknights run smoothly.”When it comes to dinnertime during the back...