Children under lockdown complain of boredom an hour after waking up

More than a million children moan they are bored during lockdown within an hour of getting out of bed, a study has found.

Parents are struggling to juggle looking after their children with work.

The majority of parents say they get less than an hour a day to themselves - while one in seven say they have no time at all, according to Churchill Home Insurance.

Parents say they are overwhelmed by finding time to look after their children while working from home, admitting that they often feel guilt that they are not spending enough time with their offspring during lockdown as they juggle work and home schooling.

Despite the extensive efforts of many, three quarters of parents admit their children are spending less time studying in lockdown than they would at school, working 2.5 hours less a day. Many parents say cannot wait for schools to reopen as they are finding home schooling difficult.

More a than a third of parents say they feel inadequate to teach their child during lockdown, while 19 per cent are worried that their teaching skills will have a negative long-term effect on their child’s learning.

One in six parents working from home say some clients and colleagues do not understand their responsibilities as a parent, which can make work a struggle. Meanwhile, almost a quarter of parents working from home are struggling to attend online meeting and conference calls, with 18 per cent constantly apologising to clients and colleagues for the noise children are making in the background.

The study found that trying to fit in a full day working at home while looking after children and home schooling means many parents have had to adopt new working practices. One in five parents still working have either changed their working hours to start earlier or work in the evenings to accommodate their child’s needs during the day.

Jane Morgan, marketing manager at Churchill Home Insurance, said: “Parents have been finding lockdown really difficult as they are under pressure to maintain their level of work while also educating and entertaining their children.”

The insurer has, with author and meditation teacher Sue Pickford, launched a series of audio books aimed at teaching mindfulness techniques to children aged four to seven, read by podcast host Giovanna Fletcher.

Fletcher said: “With three boys under six, I know how everyday can become a juggling act of epic proportions. Home schooling whilst trying to get work done is not easy. But it’s also important to take a moment to breathe and enjoy being at home together.”