Parents looking forward to sending children back to school, poll finds

Four in 10 say their children are more irritable with a lack of structure

Most parents value the return of Autumn term (Getty Images)

Under-pressure parents have admitted they are relieved about the end of the school holidays and the return of term, a poll has found.

Eighty-two per cent of parents said they are looking forward to getting their children back into set routines at the start of September.

The study of 2,000 mothers and fathers revealed one in four parents have been counting down the days until the end of the long summer break.

More than a third said they missed set bedtimes and a fifth said they relished getting structured mealtimes back in the diary.

A further 47 per cent of parents are looking forward to getting the family eating a healthier diet again after giving in to their children's requests for treats over the summer, the survey found.

The poll also found 69 per cent of parents faced constantly changing plans over the holidays, leading to food waste as planned meals and snacks were thrown in the bin.

The study also found that making sure dinner time goes to plan is very important to parents, with 21 per cent saying that if their children's like their meal, they are less likely to fight with their siblings.

Four in 10 said their children are more irritable with a lack of structure. “When it comes to getting back into a routine, September is bigger than January for most families,” said Andre Dupin, a chef with HelloFresh UK, who commissioned the poll.

“The start of a new school term is a chance to re-set and get into a good rhythm.”

Earlier this month a National Education Union poll revealed nearly four in five teachers thought holiday hunger is affecting more children now than it did three years ago.

The Trussell Trust, Britain’s biggest network of food banks, appealed for more donations this summer because of the increased demand from families in poverty during the school holidays.