It won’t come as a surprise that mum’s across the UK are holding onto their children’s treasured processions collecting keepsakes from the frist day they are born.
Parenting on Female First
In fact, a mum lovingly cherishes 20 items from her child’s early years, from pictures and paintings to a first pair of shoes, the little mementos and keepsakes are what mum holds dear over the school years.
Clarks, who carried out the study also found that the most commonly treasured keepsakes were baby teeth, old toys and school awards or reports from teachers.
While many kept a first school jumper, a sling from an early injury or even an early lock of hair.
The research also captured the average mum's journey to see her child through school and found along the way she'll nurse 67 grazed knees and sew up 49 holes in the uniform.
Along with everyday household chores, mums are busy with washing more than 1,400 loads of school uniform - from aprons to sports kit to muddy trousers and grass-stained shirts, results showed.
She'll also help with 1,236 hours of homework, make 37 costumes and clean the school shoes 125 times as her child goes through primary to the end of secondary school.
Mums also treasure the first moments in their new born babies life, saving first hand or foot print and a favourite blanket or outfit is also lovingly stored to be brought out again in future.
The most emotional keepsake for mums are drawings her child made when little, with their very first pair of school shoes among the most treasured items for mums in preserving their little one’s early years.
When asked to reflect on their children’s time at school, mums were likely to recall their happiness of their child’s first school report, followed by the excitement of the preparation of getting them ready, and the piles of washing, as the strongest memories.
Mum’s most treasured Keepsakes
1. Drawings2. Photographs
3. First pair of shoes
4. School work
5. A lock of hair
6. Hospital band
7. First hand or foot print
8. School reports
9. Toys
10. Teeth
11. School awards
12. First pair of school shoes
13. Books
14. Baptism outfit
15. Their favourite blanket
16. Their favourite item of clothing as a child
17. Self portrait
18. Their sketchbook
19. Christening present
20. School jumper
Emma Jefferies, Children’s Marketing Manager at Clarks said: ‘’At Clarks we understand the emotion and hard work that parents put into the back to school period. Not only do we pride ourselves on creating the most stylish school shoes, but we make sure that every single pair will last the test of time.
We do this by putting each style through a number of wear and tear tests, as we know that children can put their shoes under a tremendous amount of pressure, from running around the playground to kicking a football.”
Emma added: ‘’The purchase of the first pair of schools shoes is a momentous occasion for parents. At Clarks we understand that getting your little ones ready for their first day can be incredibly emotional and exciting, that’s why we have expert fitters in every store and an online appointment booking service, ensuring that the whole process is as simple and as stress free as possible. We have also teamed up with Ladybird to offer a free Let's Start School memory book to help capture those special moments of their first days.”