The average busy parent spends the equivalent of 63 days straight ferrying their kids to and from their classes, events and hobbies, a new study finds. In the average year, travelling to and from dance specifically takes mother figures 1,560 minutes.
Between the ages of four through 16, taking kids to sports and dance classes and watching them perform adds up to a huge 1,498 hours. The study of 1,000 mother figures across the UK, which includes mums, grandmothers and female carers, was carried out to celebrate Mother’s Day by dancewear retailer BLOCH. It reveals the time and effort parents put into their children’s hobbies – and the bonding benefits this brings.
Despite the long hours spent, most guardians say taking their kids to their hobbies helps them bond with their child, with eight in 10 saying they look forward to this time spent together.
The study, by dance retailer BLOCH, reveals a huge seven out of 10 mother figures say they find their children to be more open and honest when chatting on the way to and from their hobbies. Further still, over half (53 percent) of mother guardians say they have the most in-depth conversations with their children during this time.
Focusing on a hobby such as dance has many additional benefits when it comes to parent/child bonding: 64% of mother figures say they have their child’s full attention; 67% find it easier to talk to their children; 65% feel like their child has so much to tell them after attending classes; and over six in 10 parents say they love spending time travelling to and from classes with their child.
Developmental psychologist and Certified Family Life Educator Kate Monahan discussed why hobbies can help bonding.“Spending time travelling to and from afterschool hobbies is never wasted time. When parents support their children’s interests, by travelling to and from events, parents show with their actions that they care about their child and support their passions. Plus, during periods of time without direct eye contact, such as in the car, children are more open and honest communicators. This means that travel times are beautiful moments of disclosure and deep conversation. These two facts together help build a close, positive relationship with parents and their child.”
Cathy Radovan, COO at BLOCH, commented on the findings: “With Mother’s Day being celebrated this month, we wanted to highlight the backbone of the dance community – the parents. It’s often their commitment that helps create the next generation of stars. We were thrilled to see the positive effects hobbies such as dance have on parent/child bonding. From having more open conversations to simply getting to spend quality time together, it’s clear childhood hobbies have countless benefits for children and parents alike.”
Read more on the BLOCH blog, including specific case studies from dancers on how their parents helped shape their dance career. To find out more about BLOCH, visit uk.blochworld.com.
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