Potential effects of parent–child joint school trips on parents’ wellbeing: A conceptual framework

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of parents accompanying their children to school. Existing literature has primarily focused on the motivations behind this decision and its impact on children’s wellbeing, while the effect of children’s school trips on parents’ wellbeing is not sufficiently studied. To address this gap, this study employs “value of children” and “demand and reward” theories to provide a conceptual framework that demonstrates how taking children to school can influence parents’ wellbeing through different channels. Using the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), which contains data from 10,000 Australian children and their parents, we develop a structural equation model (SEM) to examine the connections within the proposed conceptual framework. Our findings reveal that when parents accompany their children to school, it improves the quality of their parent–child relationship, leading to an increase in overall wellbeing. Furthermore, when parents and children walk to school together, it enhances parents’ physical health and wellbeing. However, using public transport to take children to school increases parents’ time pressure and undermines their wellbeing.