Research shows parents spend more than one billion hours on kids sporting activities

AUSTRALIAN parents spend an average of 830 hours a year running their children to and from sports commitments and watching them play, new ­research shows.

Aleksandra Badowski with her sports-mad kids Emma and Jacob. Picture: Tony Gough

AUSTRALIAN parents spend an average of 830 hours a year running their children to and from sports commitments and watching them play, new ­research shows.

The Real Insurance Australian Active Kids report shows that parents devote an average of about 16 hours a week picking up and dropping off at training and matches, and watching and helping out.

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Aleksandra Badowski, 43, mother of Emma, 8, and Jacob, 12, admits she spends more than 15 hours a week transporting her two to gymnastics and baseball.

“It does take up a lot of time … we have had to drop things as it’s not feasible to do everything,” she said.

“Emma does 14.5 hours of gymnastics every week, not ­including extra training and competitions, so that’s a lot.”

Research shows that parents spend over $2000 a year on sport for their children and three-quarters of parents ­believe it is very expensive.

Close to two-thirds of parents have made financial sacrifices, while almost 60 per cent volunteer to organise and/or supervise sport activities.

Parents tend to spend long hours waiting at training sessions and cheering on their children at games.

Ms Badowski spends on average $7000 a year on sport for her children, but believes it is worth every cent. “It teaches them how to be part of a team, how to lose, and how to pull their weight, train hard and do their best,” she said.

Like Ms Badowski, 88 per cent of parents are more than happy to make the commitment of time and money.

Dr Lisa Barnett from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University said only one in five children are meeting physical activity recommendations and organised sport is not enough.

“Sport is only one piece of the puzzle,” she said. “Kids need to be playing outside, walking and cycling to school, playing in the yard — all of those things will help get their physical activity up.”

Close to 85 per cent of Aussie kids are involved in weekly sporting activities.

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