Who works hardest around the house? There’s an app for that

Parents spend an average of almost a day a week on household management, with a total of 23 hours and 45 minutes spent each on jobs including washing, cooking and childcare duties.

New research found the top five time intensive chores those parents polled do each week are:

> Babysitting/childcare (3 hours 53 minutes)

> Cooking (3 hours 36 minutes)

> Cleaning (2 hours 49 minutes)

> Shopping (2 hours 27 minutes)

> Ironing/washing (2 hours 19 minutes)

Additional other time-consuming activities include DIY, taking out the recycling and gardening. If parents were to pay staff to carry out their chores it would cost £231 a week.

But mums and dads are only valuing their weekly worth at £143 a week, underestimating their weekly contribution by £88.

And despite being a nation of hardworking parents, a quarter admit feel they do not feel appreciated by their children.

Andy James of Allianz Your Cover Insurance, which commissioned the poll, said: “Many parents will be surprised how much time they are spending on managing their homes and what this is worth financially.

“For those also working, this means very little ‘down time’ is spent relaxing as they spend four hours a day managing their home and family life. Our research found if parents were given the opportunity to pass their least favourite chore onto someone else, a quarter of mums and dads would spend this extra time relaxing.

“To help busy families realise their true value we have created a Smartphone app which calculates how much certain chores are worth and which family member makes the biggest household contribution. Families will be able to solve the eternal question ‘who does the most around the house’ and see who most deserves a relaxing sit-down!”

The research shows that both men and women agree that women make the most valuable contribution to the smooth running of the home. Despite this only 25 per cent of women feel that their contribution is completely appreciated by their partner whereas a third of men feel that their partner completely appreciates their role at home.

Three quarters of women think their household contribution is worth more than their partner’s, and value this contribution at £166. Only 41 per cent of men think their contribution is worth the most financially valuing this at £120, significantly less than women.

Both mums and dads agree that their children’s contribution is worth only five per cent to the upkeep of the house.

Parents confirmed that elder teenagers aged between 15 and 18 years-old were the least appreciative of their children as 32 per cent of parents said this age group do not make them feel at all appreciated.

Andy added: “Our poll found that ironing, washing and cleaning are the most disliked chores which Brits would happily pass onto someone else. We urge busy parents to hand over their dusters and get their children involved in some household jobs..”

To find out the true value of the chores you do download Allianz Your Cover’s household economy Smartphone App Chores Worth

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