Over half of working parents in Wales rely on TV and YouTube to keep their kids entertained during school holidays

Parents balancing careers and childcare during school summer holidays find themselves resorting to screentime (58 per cent), sweets (24 per cent) and even bribes of new toys (14 per cent) to keep their children occupied

·       Juggling childcare and career priorities during the school holidays is a burden (60 per cent) – with a third of those feeling guilty about not spending enough time with their children

·       Almost half (44 per cent) rely on grandparents to look after their children, while 16 per cent need help from other school mums and dads

Working parents in the Wales are left reaching for the remote or a laptop in order to keep their kids occupied during the school summer holidays.

The new poll by PGL Adventures showed that over half (58 per cent) say YouTube and TV is a staple in their arsenal for keeping kids entertained during the break.

Others are forced to turn to giving sweets (24 per cent), or even bribing them with new toys (14 per cent), in a bid to keep children amused.

Among primary and secondary school children nationwide, it’s 10 and 11-year-olds who are most likely to be given screentime to keep them busy (71 per cent and 75 per cent respectively).

The poll paints a picture of just how difficult the struggle to juggle careers and childcare is during the extended break, with almost two thirds (60 per cent) admitting it’s a burden on their lives.

Among them, feeling guilt about not being able to spend more time with their children (70 per cent) and experiencing burn-out (43 per cent) trying to do it all are common.

Grandparents will often play a vital role as almost half (44 per cent) say they rely on family members to look after their child, while almost one fifth (16 per cent) require the support of a close community network, sending their children to parents of their schoolfriends.

Almost half (44 per cent) say they become stressed over the summer break period and a quarter (26 per cent) will even develop feelings of anxiety.

And it’s not just their personal lives that suffer, as over one quarter (28 per cent) also say the juggle is having an impact on their ability to do their job.

One half (50 per cent) among them say they can’t fully concentrate and over one quarter (29 per cent) believe they miss out on opportunities to progress.

Researchers also asked what the most difficult situation respondents had faced in juggling work and parenthood during the summer break:

·       “When both my wife and me have to work from home. You just have to rely on tv and iPad”

·       “Having to tell work I can’t go on a site visit last minute because I have no childcare and then feelings scared I’m going to lose my job”

·       “Trying to get the time off. My daughter has 14 weeks holiday a year… I have about average annual leave and find it difficult to juggle”

·       “A real decline in the quality of my work, and feeling tired whilst working with my child”

·       “It’s the not being able to spend more time with them because I have work, so I can’t spend time with them, so we don’t get to build a stronger relationship”

Alison Sudbury, Group Marketing Director from PGL Adventures, comments: “The school holidays, especially during the summer, can be hell for parents who are trying to juggle it all.

“Trying to balance everything and keep everyone happy, including yourself, during this time can feel like a colossal task.

“But for children, we believe that rather than wind down, they want to be active so holidays are a time for, getting outside, making memories and thriving on challenges. 

“Our camps are a great option for those aged 8-16 years, allowing children to gain independence from home, make friends and enjoy a choice of over 40 fun activities at one of our many centres across the UK – all while parents focus on work knowing their kids are in safe hands. What’s more, parents will feel great knowing what an amazing time their children will be having and it’s not that expensive either making it a great holiday saviour.”

For more information on PGL Travel, including its Tregoyd House activity centre near the Brecon Beacons head to www.pgl.co.uk. Take the leap – will your kid love it?