Parents rely on WhatsApp groups to stay on top of back-to-school chaos

More than eight in 10 of those who use WhatsApp groups think they would be lost without them, with 65 per cent admitting they would otherwise forget important school events. These include non-uniform days (37 per cent), sports days (32 per cent) and even school inset days (22 per cent). One in five parents (20 per cent) say it makes the September return to school easier to manage.

The poll of 1,000 parents of six to 11-year-olds, by home appliance brand Beko revealed 74 per cent consider the back-to-school period the most challenging time of the year.

However, simple routines and reliable appliances can help to ease the pressure, with 21 per cent citing a dependable washing machine and one in five pointing to meal planning for making the transition to term-time easier.

Former teacher and mum of two Lou Beckett, who has partnered with Beko to launch the Beko Back to School Helpline, hosted on WhatsApp, said: “As a parent, I know just how hectic the back-to-school period can be.

"It rarely looks like the picture-perfect planner stuck on the fridge. In reality, it’s a missing PE kit or a stained shirt and by 8am the only thing still running smoothly is the washing machine."

“That’s why Beko has created a Back to School Helpline on WhatsApp - so parents have somewhere to turn when those last-minute worries feel huge.”

“If you’re not stressing about uniforms drying in time or how to keep packed lunches fresh for the week ahead, it’s much easier to focus on what really matters – helping your kids feel confident and ready to walk through the school gates.”

The study also found that while 84 per cent of children rely on parents to get them prepped for school, 34 per cent said their alarm clock was the most helpful thing for getting them ready for school, while one in 10 chose the washing machine, and nine per cent even cited the family fridge.

Re-establishing bedtime and morning routines tops the list of back-to-school challenges for 41 per cent of parents, followed by getting children out of bed and ready in time for the school bell (38 per cent).

Other common pressures include prepping packed lunches (25 per cent), coaxing children into the car and persuading them to pose for the traditional back-to-school photo (both 10 per cent).

But one in five (21 per cent) parents leave back-to-school preparations until the last minute, with haircuts (35 per cent), buying school shoes (25 per cent) and washing uniforms (16 per cent) tasks often left to the eleventh hour.

It also emerged children also experience the pre-school chaos, with 52 per cent claiming that getting out of bed is the hardest part of the school morning, while 34 per cent struggle to leave the house on time. The return to school brings mixed emotions, with 43 per cent of children feeling both excited and nervous the night before their first day back.

The research, carried out via OnePoll, also found on average, it takes families two weeks to fully settle back into the rhythm of term time.

Salah Sun, head of product management at Beko, said: “September has a way of arriving faster than anyone's ready for. One minute it's sandcastles, the next it's a scramble to get school uniforms and PE kits washed.

"When family life is demanding, having appliances you can rely on means one less thing to worry about. We stress-test our appliances for proven durability, so they can keep up with the demands of busy family life – from last-minute uniform washes and keeping lunchbox favourites fresh to the daily after dinner clean-up.

“For parents, that means dependable performance when they need it most, fewer everyday disruptions and greater confidence that their appliance will continue to make life easier for years to come."

From 6pm-9pm on Tuesday 1st September, parents can receive practical advice from Lou and the experts at Beko on the Back to School Helpline for when those last-minute worries begin to feel overwhelming.

Lou Beckett’s tips for making the back-to-school transition less chaotic

1. Run a stealth routine reboot: A week before term starts, bring bedtime and wake-up alarms forward by 15 minutes each day. Getting children back into the ‘out of bed, teeth-brushed, actual clothes on’ rhythm early will save you from wrestling a reluctant child out of their duvet on day one.
2. Put the logistics on one shared calendar: Whose turn is it for pick-up? Is football today or tomorrow? This is where entire weeks quietly fall apart. Get every drop-off, pick-up and after-school club onto one shared calendar at the start of term, on the fridge, on your phone, wherever it'll actually get looked at, so nobody's relying on memory alone by week three.
3. Retire as the morning short-order cook: If you spend school mornings pouring cereal bowls and making toast while trying to get yourself caffeinated and ready, you're doing too much. Put cereal, snacks and breakfast basics into child-friendly containers on reachable shelves so the kids can sort themselves out. Tell them the kitchen is now self-serve, they'll enjoy the independence, and you'll buy a few precious minutes for a hot cup of coffee before the madness starts.
4. Enforce a ‘soft landing’ for week one: Teachers know kids’ brains will be fried by the time the bell rings during the first week of term. This is not the moment to introduce evening chore charts or strict homework routines. Treat week one like recovery from severe jetlag – feed everyone, let your home appliances handle the domestics, and put the kids to bed nice and early, before you lose your mind!
5. Ditch uniform perfectionism: Unless your child spends their lunch breaks mud wrestling, they don’t need a new set of immaculate uniforms every day. Teachers just want children to be comfortable, clean and ready to learn. But when the last-minute realisation hits that a dirty PE kit is languishing at the bottom of the laundry basket, don't panic. A trusty washing machine with a quick-wash setting can handle the rescue mission, so you can still get to bed on time.

Top 25 most stressful things about the back-to-school period

1. Re-establishing bedtime and morning routines after summer holidays
2. Waking my child up / getting them up in time to get ready for school
3. Planning, shopping for and making packed lunches
4. Allowing enough time in the morning to commute to school and work
5. Supporting my child’s back to school nerves/worries
6. Finding school items which have gone missing over the summer
7. Planning, shopping for and making weeknight meals
8. Working out who is doing drop off / pick up
9. Managing before and after-school clubs
10. Getting my child to eat breakfast before school)
11. Labelling new items e.g. clothes, lunchboxes
12. Getting my child to brush their teeth before school
13. Forgetting to buy a new term essential e.g. shoes, bigger size uniform
14. Breakfast preparation
15. Batch cooking/stocking the freezer for the term ahead
16. Arranging childcare for inset days or wraparound care
17. Completing summer homework
18. Buying new stationery
19. Washing the new uniform
20. Getting my children in the car
21. Persuading my child to do the ‘back to school’ photo
22. Buying a new school bag
23. Realising last year’s PE kit hasn’t been washed
24. Getting my child to wear a coat
25. Forgetting the name of my child’s new teacher