U.S. Parents Spend Nearly 15 Workdays Driving Kids During School Year

A Talker Research survey commissioned by Bob Evans Farms queried 2,000 U.S. millennial parents of school‑aged children. Respondents reported an average of 38 minutes per day driving children to and from school activities, totaling 6,858 minutes over a typical 180‑day school year – the equivalent of nearly 15 eight‑hour workdays behind the wheel.

Seventy‑seven percent said the back‑to‑school season makes daily life feel more hectic and unpredictable, and 52 % identified balancing their own schedules with their children’s as the biggest source of household friction. Rising school‑supply costs top the list of challenges (55 % of parents), with 71 % noting that overall back‑to‑school spending has increased from the previous year. Other concerns include adjusting to new routines (42 %) and planning weekday meals (41 %).

Parents reported sacrificing personal time (49 %) and sleep (40 %) to keep up. To reduce stress, they said easy‑to‑prepare meals (53 %), more sleep (52 %) and grocery‑shopping assistance (49 %) would be most helpful. “When you look at the numbers, parents are spending the equivalent of nearly three full workweeks each school year just driving to and from activities,” said Jason Roche, vice president of Bob Evans Farms.