…. most studies are pointless aren’t they?
Do you ever see those adverts that tell you at the end that “66% of 75 women…” and think, actually that is not so great.
It just isn’t a conclusive study to me.
I saw this earlier.
According to a recent study, 77 percent of parents who drive their kids to school find both the morning and afternoon school run more stressful than work or grocery shopping
Firstly… what?! What sort of job are these parents doing that the school run is more stressful? Chocolate testing? Biscuit dunker?
The article goes on to state:
A staggering 54 per cent of people are more likely to use their horn or swear at other drivers during the school run than at any other time on the road as stress levels are so heightened
Pardon?
Swearing on the school run? Using their horn?
I have been doing the school for over 13 years, some of it on foot, some of it in my car and I have never seen anything like this! Ever. And for over ten years my school run has been a 25 mile round trip. My school run for J is a 60 mile round trip which I do twice a week and have never felt more stressed doing this than I do a work.
Similarly the other mums I have chatted to at school have displayed no signs of stress. Well they have, but generally due to something else entirely, not because of the school run.
I wonder who actually commissioned this study? Who paid for it?
Commenting on the findings, Philippa Gogarty, co-founder of Micro Scooters UK said: ‘As Mums ourselves, we understand the challenges of the school run. It’s definitely the most stressful part of my day so the results don’t surprise me.
Ah. Okay, that might explain a few things. Got anything else to say, Philippa?
We wanted to get Micro Scooters ‘out there’ as an alternative and we’re now developing a national scooter proficiency programme in a bid to make scooting even more accessible
Right then. So Micro Scooters commissioned it. To find out how stressful school runs are and to demonstrate how their product might help.
Is it any surprise then that the study did just what they wanted it to?
“Have you ever been, or could you envisage being, stressed on a school run?”
“Your car has a horn. Have you ever used it?”
“Have you ever raised your voice to a child?”
Conclusion:
99% of statistics are made up.
When looking for interesting studies you’ll rarely find better than the work of the Social Issues Research Centre. I’ve lost many hours reading their reports. 🙂
What has Philippa Go-Karty to say? I think we should be told!
I enjoy the school run as when I’m picking them up its the end of my working day.
When I have a day off I walk the nightmares to school. The only stressful part of that is when you get run over by the children that are zooming around the place. The parents that then have to drag the scooters back up the hill don’t look too happy about it either.
Right then, let’s throw down the gauntlet and offer you scooters to see if they don’t improve life a little bit!
I may have to disagree with you on the stress-factor that is the school run. I drive the Girls to school every day and have seen parents double parking, up on curbs, blocking residents etc. I have had seen half a dozen wing mirror covers on the pavement, witnessed three accidents and heard stories of swearing, fighting and indeed spitting. Yes, fully grown adults, spitting at each other outside school.
What in the name of all that is Holy is that teaching my children?
Bet they never have this at state schools.