3/1/13
One woman in five (19%) is part of an emerging group who have no children of their own but have special bonds with children in their lives, according to Weber Shandwick and KRC Research. Women in this group spent an average $387 in the past year on each child with whom they have a relationship, with 76% spending more than $500 per child. More than four in 10 buy things for the children that their parents won’t or can’t, and 34% say they are likely to help pay for their education.
These 23 million American women have an average age of 36. More than half of them (52%) are single, 34% have annual household incomes exceeding $50,000, and 34% work full time. Four in 10 (40%) are nonwhite.
Although 75% have become more careful about how they spend money as a result of the economic crisis, 33% say they give the children in their lives more expensive gifts than others give them. They also deliver more than just presents. They regularly take photos or videos of the children in their lives (53%) and share these photos or videos online (46%). Nearly half enjoy traveling with the children (48%), and many run errands such as taking them to school (34%). About half are frequently in contact with the kids in their lives through online technologies (52%) and social media (45%).
Two in three of these women (64%) enjoy spending time with the children in their lives but are glad they aren’t parents themselves.
Sources: KRC Research, Bradley Honan, CEO, 919 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022; 212-537-8743; bhonan@krcresearch.com; www.krcresearch.com.
Weber Shandwick, Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation Strategist, 919 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022; 212-445-8302; lgaines-ross@webershandwick.com; www.webershandwick.com.
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