KidsPoll: Are Kids Too Busy?

June 27, 2006

We may think of kids' lives as being carefree and easy, but according to a recent KidsHealth® KidsPoll, most kids wish they had more free time and feel stressed because they have too much to do.

We polled 882 kids ages 9–13 to find out just how busy they are, what they're busy doing, and what they'd do with more free time.

We asked kids to tell us how many hours they spend during the week on homework, non-school activities, and screen-time (watching TV, playing video games, or on the computer). The poll showed a wide variety of ways that kids spend their time.

When it comes to homework, some kids spend a lot of time on it, but most spend much less. Of the kids we surveyed:

• 81% said they spend 1 hour or less on homework each night
• 10% said they spend 2 hours on homework each night
• 8% said they spend 3 or more hours on homework each night

The same was true for non-school activities, such as sports, clubs, and lessons. Some kids are involved in several, while others are involved in only one or two:

• 47% of kids said that they were involved in one or two organized activities
• 39% of kids said that they had three or more of those activities

Lots of kids we polled said that they spend a significant amount of time each schoolday watching TV, playing video games, or using the computer for fun, while others said that they don't:

• 49% of kids said that they spend 3 or more hours in front of a screen
• 35% of kids said that they spend 1 hour or less on screen-time

But regardless of how much time they spend on homework, organized activities, or TV and video games, most kids agree on one thing: 77% we surveyed wish that they had more free time.

The poll also revealed that having too much to do is a significant source of stress for many kids: 41% of those surveyed said that they feel stressed most of the time or always because they have too much to do.

How can you tell if your child is too busy? The telltale signs are easy to spot:

• Does your child leave homework unfinished or complete it late at night because there's not enough time in the day?
• Does your child often rush through meals in a hurry to get somewhere?
• Do you feel stressed about getting your child from activity to activity?
• Does your child complain about having to go to practice, games, or lessons?
• Does your child get to bed on time?
• Does your child's overall mood suffer because of his or her schedule?

If you think that your child is overscheduled, it may be time to make some changes. Decide together which activities are the right fit for your child and whether any can be cut back on.

How else can you help your child fend off the stress that comes from being too busy?

• Set priorities. Help your child learn to make choices about activities. There are lots of interesting activities to choose from, but it's not possible to do them all. Help your child learn how to pick and choose, how to say no to some things, and how to budget time and energy.
• Check in on homework. This is the time to make sure your child has the skills to organize, focus, and get the job done. And be there to help, if needed.
• Schedule downtime. At school, there's always a recess, and it's important to make sure your child has unstructured playtime on nights and weekends too. It provides a chance to recharge, relax, and slow down the pace.
• Be a role model. Consider the pace of your own life. If you're overbooked, and frantically running between your own activities, think about how you can create some downtime in your own schedule. Parents need to relax and recharge too.

The KidsPoll results did reveal that sometimes kids do know what's good for them. The free time that kids said they want more of has benefits beyond the recharge factor. Free time to explore, bike, read, draw, or daydream fosters creativity and helps kids learn to entertain themselves and discover what they like doing. Free time also gives them a chance to interact with friends and family, and develop positive relationships.