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New research from TalkTalk reveals a huge 97% of parents use the internet to help with their kids’ homework
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Algebra and Trigonometry continue to baffle parents as they struggle to get to grips with homework sums
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3 in 4 say they feel frustrated, stressed and worried without access to fast internet during homework time
As families prepare for the first half-term break of 2020, parents up and down the country will be faced with the task of helping their kids with numerous pieces of homework. Despite this being a daily occurrence in most households, 84% of parents admit they struggle to keep up with their kids’ homework syllabus, according to a recent study from TalkTalk.
Maths was found to be the subject that left us baffled the most. One in three parents admitted they have forgotten the basic formulas that they learnt in school and the difference between rational and irrational numbers remains a mystery to many. But, when dividing and conquering the homework, it seems parents have different specialisms they can capitalise on. Dads were five times more likely to confidently recite the order of the planets but were three times more likely to struggle with English Literature than mums.
In contrast, British parents felt most clued up on questions relating to historical figures, with spelling and grammar close behind, suggesting that the age-old rhyme of Henry VIII’s wives doomed fates and the rule ‘i before e except after c’ has clearly stuck.
But while the internet has clearly changed the way in which we live, with educational resources available online at the click of a mouse, , spare a thought for previous generations who had to tackle the challenges of homework unaided. Among parents whose kids had grown up without the internet, TalkTalk found that while 8 out of 10 tended to rely on their own knowledge (82%), a cheeky 1% of parents admitted to simply making the answer up and hoping for the best!
As schools introduce online platforms for homework tasks, kids and parents nowadays are increasingly dependent on a fast, reliable internet connection. Three quarters of British parents admitted they would feel frustrated, stressed and worried if their broadband started playing up during homework time. That said, it’s not something we want our kids to necessarily know, especially the Dads amongst us. TalkTalk found that Dads were almost twice as likely than mums to be embarrassed or worried their kids would tell on them if they were caught copying the answer from the internet.
Nick Gunga, Chief Customer Officer at TalkTalk, said: “We understand the need for families to have access to fast, reliable broadband to help make their busy lives easier, and getting through homework is no exception. TalkTalk aims to support households across the nation whatever their connectivity needs – be that streaming the latest blockbuster or surfing the internet for Pythagoras’ Theorem.”
“And with TalkTalk’s unlimited Faster Fibre Broadband package our customers can benefit from speeds which are up to 3x faster than standard broadband as well as a Great Connection Guarantee, meaning they’re free to leave any time during the first 30 days of going live if they aren’t 100% happy with their connection.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
Opinium study of 2005 participants, February 2020
For more information on TalkTalk Fibre Broadband: www.talktalk.co.uk/shop/broadband/fibre