Ten thousand cuddles for being a mum: Study reveals the figures behind motherhood including two hours a week taxi duty and 112 days of sport
- A detailed study has revealed just how devoted mothers are to their children
- The study attempted to quantify the ways that mother express their affection
- It revealed mothers give out 10,000 cuddles to their children from four to 16
Not many mothers need to be told that bringing up their children entails a lot more give than take.
Now, however, a detailed study has attempted to quantify for the first time exactly how devoted they are when their offspring are aged four to 16.
It revealed that mums will be woken 16 times a year by their children because of a stomach ache or bad dream – and they can also expect over 10,000 cuddles.
They also spend an hour and 39 minutes a week on taxi duty, meaning a total of 47 days behind the wheel in those 13 years.
The study attempts to quantify everything mothers do for their children between the ages of four and 16
This includes trips to six birthday parties a year or 78 over their childhood.
The study also found the average mum spends nearly four hours a week as a spectator as children take part in sports and hobbies, adding up to a total of 112 days.
Sitting through school assemblies and plays takes nearly five hours a year, more than 63 hours over a childhood. Going to parents’ evenings accounts for another two-and-a-half hours a year, according to the research carried out via OnePoll.com.
Three-quarters of mothers admit that having a child of their own has made them appreciate their own mums more than they did before. However, there are many upsides including being told ‘I love you’ by their children around twice each day – that’s 8,788 time from the ages of four to 16.
The study of 2,000 mums commissioned by Next also revealed that they enjoy 15 cuddles a week, equating to 10,140 love-ins over a childhood.
Mothers get given five pieces of art a year from each child, which is 65 pieces over the years from four to 16. Buying Christmas and birthday presents is a big part of being a mum as they fork out for 38 a year, making a total of 494 up to the age of 16.
But they also have to endure an average of three conversations a year with teachers about their child’s bad behaviour.
The study also found the average mum spends nearly four hours a week as a spectator as children take part in sports and hobbies
More positive interactions are the 221 heart-to-heart chats with their children, roughly 17 each year.
A spokesman for Next said: ‘Being a mother is one of the most rewarding but also one of the hardest things you will do.
‘When you are sat in school for yet another meeting with the teacher or watching your child on the side of a cold and wet football pitch, you can feel a little fed-up.
‘But it’s so worth it when you hear your child say “I love you” or get given their latest work of art to exhibit on the fridge. Mums do so much for their children, something we only really realise when we become parents but this does mean we appreciate our own parents more than ever before.’