I am an empty nester with three kids in their 20s and two kids. You've heard me joke on the air that I now watch other parents wrangle their kids in public places and wonder how I EVER had the energy to raise children.
I definitely don't now. I just got down watching my youngest daughter's kitten for two weeks. I was exhausted. It's similar to having grandkids. You expend a LOT of energy in short period of time then...send 'em home.
A new survey finds that parents will argue with their kids five times a week between the ages of two and 18, which amounts to 4,200 arguments over the span of 16 years. And we’re not talking quick arguments. In fact, the average argument lasts 14 minutes, with parents winning only about 60% of them.
As for the biggest source of those arguments, household chores tops the list (69%), followed by messy bedrooms (64%) and not cleaning shared spaces (63%). Other hot topics include homework (63%) and bedtime (52%).
- Parents do admit that less than 40% of the arguments they have with their kids are serious, but that doesn’t mean they’re not draining. The truth is 39% of parents say there was a time they felt they were constantly fighting with their kids, with 12 being the age kids are most argumentative.
- So, for the parents who do win an argument, what are they doing to come out victorious? Well, 66% say they bribe their kids, with dessert or extra screen time the most popular bribes.