As Kids Count Down To Summer, Parents’ Stress Is Ramping Up, Survey Finds

For many parents, the countdown to summer doesnt spark joy — it brings stress. According to a new survey, one in three parents say they dont expect to have a single anxiety-free day this summer.

The survey of 2,000 U.S. millennial parents of school-aged children, commissioned by Bob Evans and conducted by Talker Research, revealed that the final weeks of the school year leave many parents feeling exhausted (29%), anxious (28%), and overwhelmed (21%).

Balancing work with their childrens summer plans was the top source of stress (49%), followed by unpredictable schedules (41%) and limited time for household tasks (37%). Additionally, parents expressed concern about having their kids at home all day (34%) and not having enough personal time (33%).

The stress typically kicks in about 28 days before the last day of school and lasts well into summer. On average, parents report not fully relaxing until 25 days into the break.

The data suggests this period is even more stressful than other busy times. More parents said the end of the school year feels busier than fall break (42%), spring break (41%), winter break (37%) or even back-to-school season (35%). Most parents (86%) expect this years end-of-school period to be as hectic — or more so — than last year.

“May is stressful because as parents, we’re trying to go above and beyond for our kids, balancing their schoolwork and summer schedules with an already-packed personal schedule,” said Marissa Wilson, director of marketing communications at Bob Evans Farms. “It’s easy to forget something or feel overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be done before the last day of school.”

Parents planning for an even busier season cite an increase in scheduled events (49%), managing childrens activities (44%), and coordinating camps and outings (44%) as major reasons.

Unsurprisingly, self-care takes a hit. Parents reported spending 22% of their weekly time working, 14% sleeping, and only 8% on themselves. Dinner preparation also becomes a source of stress: 59% feel too tired to cook at the end of the day, while 53% say they run out of ideas, and 45% dread the cleanup.

Nearly half of parents (46%) said they struggle to find any personal time as the school year ends, and more than one in four (27%) have trouble preparing and sitting down for dinner.

Parents said that more sleep (46%), easy-to-prepare meals (42%), and kids taking on more chores (38%) would help reduce their stress. If they had a magic wand, 36% said they would wish for dinner to be prepared automatically, while 18% would wish to have summer activities planned for them.

“With so many things to balance, mealtime can be a major stressor for parents near the end of the school year,” said Roche. “When parents are constantly busy with end-of-school-year tasks and activities, many can benefit from convenient meal and side options that can be prepared in five minutes or less.”