The PTO crunch is keeping parents from life's biggest little moments

Four in 10 parents have missed out on meaningful moments with their children because their PTO bank ran dry (39%), according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 employed parents of children aged 0-10 found that unexpected sick days can take away valuable, everyday moments between parents and their children.

Half of parents have missed out on an important school day event for their child, and the majority of those parents said it was due to using their paid time off to tend to their child who was home sick instead.

Whether on sick days or showing up for school day extracurriculars, the average parent spends 41% of their total PTO on their child — and with the average respondent getting just 11 PTO days per year, parents feel added pressure to use this time wisely.

In fact, the majority of parents intentionally save up their personal time off specifically to be a part of meaningful classroom moments like extracurricular activities, spelling bees, recitals and more (87%).

The survey, commissioned by Lysol (https://www.lysol.com/), a cleaning and disinfection brand, and conducted by Talker Research, explored parents’ sentiments about the back-to-school season and found that 90% of respondents were excited to be a part of shared routines, or simply being together.

Watching their child grow and become more independent (41%) is what parents care the most about, followed closely by seeing their child excel in school (39%) and make new friends (34%).

Twenty-eight percent of parents report being thrilled to be part of making new memories and 24% report looking forward to participating in their child’s extracurriculars.

“For parents, some of the most meaningful moments happen in the classroom, on the sidelines and at school performances, but unexpected illness can sometimes get in the way,” said Mike Hartman, vice president at Lysol.

And the data shows just that: the average respondent still misses four events with their child per year, whether it’s recitals, field trips or in-person parent days at school.

With school ramping back up, sore throats and stuffy noses are sure to follow: 38% of parents report being worried about the spread of illness-causing germs in the classroom and 36% point to unexpected illness as their top source of anxiety when it comes to managing their PTO (26%).

Over the years, parents have developed a “sick sense” for predicting when their child will come down with a bug.

The average respondent says they “know” their child is going to be sick before they show symptoms 55% of the time.

They’ve also developed strategies to make sure illness is prevented or contained: 75% of parents adopt a “proactive” stance when battling illness-causing germs on surfaces, making sure to diligently sanitize and disinfect their home.

Aside from that, 55% also make sure their children regularly wash their hands, and 47% report staying on top of their child’s water intake.

But despite their best efforts, illnesses are often inevitable — 64% of parents admit they don’t remember the last month when someone in their house wasn’t sick.

“Back-to-school season brings new opportunities, but it also brings new challenges as illness returns to both homes and classrooms,” Hartman said. “Parents have options that help reduce the spread of illness-causing germs on surfaces so families can better manage the disruptions that unexpected illness can bring.”