While the country remains in lockdown and home-schooling continues to be the norm, new research from Osmo, provider of fun and engaging educational tools for kids, reveals that almost three quarters (74%) of London parents admit to finding this new role more difficult than their day job.

It also reveals that parents in the capital are struggling to juggle work and home-schooling their children during the lockdown period with more than a third (36%) still working six – seven hours per day on their day job.

London parents worry more than the rest of the country that their kids will fall behind (with 77% worrying about this). As a result, almost three quarters (73%) of parents in the capital have a daily structure in place for their children which is by far the highest in the country. Parents in London are also spending more time than other regions on home-schooling activities with 35% dedicating four – five hours per day on this.

Throughout the lockdown and beyond, Osmo products are available to help children study and play with hands-on learning experiences, giving parents some much-needed time to focus on their day jobs.

80% of parents in the capital admit to having a new-found respect for teachers since their child has been home, with a further 79% agreeing that teachers should be paid more for the work they do and more than half (55%) saying they plan to take greater interest in their children’s education after they return to school.

More than two thirds (67%) of London parents claim they are running out of creative ideas to keep their children entertained, while two in three parents are looking for more engaging activities to fill their children’s day.

Pramod Sharma, CEO and Co-Founder of Osmo, and parent of two said, “This is a really challenging time for parents who are struggling to juggle schooling and work commitments which is no mean feat. With the right tools and guidance, children can be empowered to learn independently which gives parents some much-needed time back to focus on work.

Our products offer children a combination of healthy screen time with active play, and enable children to have fun while they learn. We know that two in three parents are looking for more engaging activities to fill their children’s day, and our products are a great way to add to keep kids entertained and stimulated.”

Dr. Amanda Gummer, child development expert, commented: “Children and parents have both had to adjust to this unprecedented situation, which is particularly challenging when it comes to learning.

Parents are understandably struggling to maintain the same level of education that children are used to, and maybe finding some of the teaching concepts challenging. Online learning resources and tools can be really beneficial in keeping kids engaged in a playful way and giving parents some support. We know that teachers are incorporating digital learning into their syllabus, so keeping this in mind when home-schooling, tools such as Osmo can be a brilliant and reassuring learning aid for both parents and children.”

In addition to a lack of time, parents in the capital admit to a lack of understanding of the school syllabus, with 44% of parents admitting they don’t believe they could pass a Maths test at their child’s current level and 39% feeling the same about Science. The same parents however, agree that Maths is an important subject for children to continue learning at home (80%), followed by Reading (68%), Science (66%) and Physical Education (49%).

This lack of time, understanding and pressure to maintain balance has left the majority (69%) of London parents feeling overwhelmed, with more than a quarter (26%) admitting that the situation is hindering their performance as they work from home.

77% of London parents agree they would pay for an engaging educational programme for their child to use whilst at home where possible, which is the highest in the country. In addition, parents in London are using videoconferencing tech with teachers more than any other region to keep their children educated.