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The average proud mum will spend the equivalent of 112 days of their kid's childhood watching them play sports, it has emerged.
Researchers also found up until when their offspring turn 16 busy mums will ferry their children to 78 kids’ birthday parties.
The detailed study of 2,000 mums revealed exactly what mothers have to put up with raising children from the age of four to their late teens – good and bad.
According to the report, the average mum will spend the equivalent of almost 47 days ferrying their children around – or one hour and 39 minutes each week of their child’s life from ages four to 16.
Watching them play sports, attending school events and acting as a taxi driver will see mums spend 577 hours a year – more than three weeks – running around after their kids.
But it’s not all hard work as they will hear ‘I love you’ from their kids around twice everyday – that’s 8,788 times, over the course of their childhood.
They enjoy 15 cuddles a week, which equates to 10,140 cuddles over a childhood.
Mums also get given 5 pieces of art a year from the kids, which over the course of their childhood is 65 pieces to exhibit on the fridge.
It also emerged that three quarters say having a child of their own has made them appreciate their own mums, and everything their mums did when they were younger, more than they did before.
A spokesman for Next, which commissioned the research, said: “Being a mother is one of the most rewarding but also one of the hardest things you will do.
“When you are sat in school for yet another meeting with the teacher or watching your child on the side of a cold and wet football pitch, you can feel a little fed up.
“But it’s so worth it when you hear your child say ‘I love you’ or get given their latest work of art to exhibit on the fridge.
“Mums do so much for their children – something we only really realise when we become parents, but this does mean we appreciate our own parents more than ever before.”
The study also found the average mum can expect to spend three hours and 58 minutes a week spectating as their child takes parts in sports and other hobbies, a total of almost 2,684 hours – 112 days - between the ages of four and 16.
Their children’s school life also sees mothers sit through almost five hours of school assemblies and plays a year – more than 63 hours in total. Parents’ evenings account for another two and a half hours every year.
But mums also face three conversations with their child’s teacher during the average year about their youngster’s behaviour – a total of 39 between the ages of four and 16.
The study also revealed that mothers will buy their children a total of 494 Christmas and birthday presents – 38 every year – and receive two bunches of flowers and a box of chocolates each year in return.
Mums will also be woken in the night 16 times a year by their children (or 208 times while their child is aged four-16), but sit down to enjoy a total of 221 heart-to-heart conversations, the equivalent of 17 each year.
They will also ‘boast’ about the achievements of their children five times a month on social media, around 780 times while the kids are aged four-16.
The study, carried out via OnePoll.com, also found mums will say something which reminds them of their own mum at least once a week and have their children ‘borrow’ something of theirs four times a year.
But this could be karma, with 26 per cent of mums admitting to pinching their mum’s make-up while they were younger – while another 23 per cent admit to taking booze from their mum’s cupboard.
Three in 10 also said they have worn clothes their mother didn’t approve of, and 33 per cent have dated someone their mother didn’t like.
Others admitted to sneaking out to a pub or club without telling their mum, pretending to have been staying at a friend’s house and faking their mum’s signature on school reports.
A spokesperson for Next added: “When we stop to think about just how much mums do for us, the very least we can do is make sure we treat to them to something a bit special on Mother’s Day”.
To find out more about the survey, go to https://www.next.co.uk/mothersday/thank-you-mum
THE AVERAGE MUM WILL:
*Spend three hours and 58 minutes a week watching their children take part in sports
2,684 hours/ 112 days between the ages of four-16
*Spend one hour and 39 minutes a week ferrying their children around
1115 hours/ 46 days between the ages of four-16
*Hear their children say ‘I love you’ 13 times a week
8,788 times between the ages of four-16
*Have 15 cuddles with their children a week
10,140 between the ages of four-16
*Nurse their child when they are hurt or sick 12 times a year
156 between the ages of four-16
*Miss three days of work a year to look after their ill children
39 days between the ages of four-16
*Sit through four hours and 55 minutes of school assemblies and plays a year
63.83 hours between the ages of four-16
*Spend two hours and 37 minutes attending parent’s evenings a year
34.06 hours between the ages of four-16
*Have three conversations with their child’s teacher about their bad behaviour
39 between the ages of four-16
*Take their children to six birthday parties a year
78 between the ages of four-16.
*Exhibits five drawings or pieces of work on the fridge each year
65 between the ages of four-16
*Buy their children 38 Christmas and birthday presents a year
494 between the ages of four-16
*Receive two bunches of flowers from their children a year
26 between the ages of four-16
*Receive two boxes of chocolates from their children
26 between the ages of four-16
*Be woken 16 times a year because their child has a stomach ache or bad dream
208 times between the ages of four-16
*Have 17 heart-to-heart conversations with their children
221 between the ages of four-16
*Boast about their child on social media five times a month
780 times between the ages of four-16
*Say something which reminds them of their own mum once a week,
676 times between the ages of four-16
*Have their children ‘borrow’ something which belongs to them four times a year
52 times between the ages of four-16
*Listen to their children say ‘I’m bored’ 12 times a month
1,872 times between the ages of four-16
*Have to remember 10 different things relating to their child every day
47,450 things between the ages of four-16
ENDS
