Half of parents lose sleep over their child’s development

A new study has found parents are deeply concerned about their child’s academic and character development before they turn 5 years old.

The poll of 2,000 parents of children ages five and younger found 59% are concerned about their children’s academic and character development, citing concerns about whether their children will learn to play fairly and cooperate with others (50%), communicate well with others (49%) and be able to appropriately express themselves (47%).

Parents listed several challenges they face to support their children’s development, including creating a routine (38%), teaching positive behaviors (30%), planning activities (25%), providing a consistent environment (23%) and building early literacy and math skills (23%).

Commissioned by Primrose Schools and conducted by OnePoll, the study revealed a large majority (98%) of parents understand the importance the first five years of life play in a child’s development and future successes.

According to results, parents shared the earliest ages they believed their children could learn important skills and concepts.

For example, some parents believe their children should be able to interact with peers, learn language skills and learn social skills by age two.

By age three, parents believe their children should be able to start benefitting from formal learning activities and grasp academic concepts. Over half of parents surveyed (55%) said their concerns about their children’s development are worrisome enough to keep them up at night.

“In the first five years of a child’s life, parents have an opportunity to maximize the power and potential of this critical time,” said Dr. Amy Jackson, chief early learning strategy officer at Primrose Schools. “It’s clear that parents want their children to learn these important academic and character development skills while their brains are most receptive to learning, but we know many worry about finding the right approach.”

When it comes to support systems for parents, 82% of parents consider preschools to be a part of their support systems — alongside immediate family (88%), extended family (37%) and friends (33%).

When looking at preschools, parents said they look for a place that offers a safe place where their child can feel like they belong (28%), qualified teachers invested in their child’s development (24%) and kindergarten readiness (15%).

When parents are not consulting their support system, 73% will at least occasionally consult the internet for parenting advice, instead. However, 43% said they feel “overwhelmed” by what they find online.

“Support systems are important for new parents, especially during their child’s first five years of life,” continued Dr. Jackson. “The experiences and connections children have in these early years will shape their academic, physical and social-emotional development — ultimately forming their foundation for learning and who they become.”

TOP 10 SKILLS PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO LEARN BEFORE KINDERGARTEN
- Naming colors - 76%
- Sharing - 72%
- Verbal skills - 72%
- Numbers and shapes - 72%
- The alphabet - 67%
- Creativity - 60%
- Self-control and cooperation - 54%
- Appropriate self-expression - 54%
- Self-confidence - 54%
- Compassion - 51%

Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 American parents of children aged 0 to 5 was commissioned by Primrose Schools between Feb 22 and Feb 26, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).