From the docile but sensible June Cleaver and Harriet Nelson to blue-collar Roseanne and sensible Clair Huxtable, television has been the main purveyor of archetypal mom role models for each succeeding generation, from the ’50s to the present. At the outset of the new millennium’s second decade, the contemporary mother may best be realized in the person of Modern Family’s Claire Dunphy, trying as best she can to make each day meaningful — and sometimes failing, not unlike a lot of honest-to-God real-life mothers are doing right now.
Pragmatism Mixed With Traditionalism
“There’s a real pragmatism to today’s moms, especially as more millennials enter motherhood. They realize that life is a series of trade-offs and they are okay with that,” says JWT’s Ann Mack.
This era’s moms also possess a mixture of traditional and progressive values. “They want dad to take part in important milestones and to help change diapers, but when it comes to big important issues, like choosing the pediatrician, they want to remain in control,” says Parents magazine’s Dana Points.
Moms Desire Realness
As per Points, “realness” is a sought-after quality among today’s moms. “We constantly hear from readers who want to hear from real people, read real tips, see real moms,” she says. At the same time, they are still trying to live up to idealized versions of themselves. Jessica Alba tops the list as the celebrity mom with the most desirable body type, ahead of Heidi Klum and Kelly Ripa, says Points.
Six in 10 moms (62%) give themselves a “B” at balancing the demands of motherhood, according to the Meredith Parent’s Network. The vast majority of moms are happy (80%), content (65%), and confident (63%). Nearly six in 10 (56%) say their children have a better lifestyle than they had as a child.
Yet moms still struggle juggling too many balls. Working and stay-at-home moms are more likely to be stressed than working dads. Working moms, for instance, attribute 49% of their daily stress to their professional lives and 51% to their personal lives, whereas working men attribute 62% of their daily stress to work and 38% to home.
Moms continue to find time an elusive commodity. Eight in 10 (79%) admit that apportioning “me time” is challenging, yet 75% make room for it. Running errands without kids tops her list of leisure activities. The ability to multitask has had the added benefit of creating more personal time, according to seven in 10 (70%) who cite improvement in this area since becoming moms.
The “Mr. Mom” ideal is still mostly a fantasy. Mothers assume the majority of household and child-care responsibilities, according to a report conducted by Advertising Age and ad agency JWT. Moms typically are in charge of “inside” and “wet” jobs such as cleaning the bathroom and laundry, with dads shouldering the load for “dry” duties such as mowing the lawn. The only shared tasks, according to the report, are paying bills and grocery shopping.
Two in three moms (65%) are saving for unexpected expenses, according to Meredith, though a full 30% aren’t saving at all. Moreover, seven in 10 moms (70%) say they will always try to find a way to afford items that make their kids happy.
Moms, unsurprisingly, have the most influence over purchasing products for their own interests and personal care. Husbands tend to have the most influence over cars or trucks and electronics. Men over 30 tend to consult with their wives for clothing advice and women tend to seek their spouse’s approval for big-ticket items (see chart below). [Human Behavior/Consumer Spending & Attitudes]
Contacts and Connections: Ad Age, Abbey Klaassen, Executive Editor, 711 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017; 212-210-0281; aklaassen@adage.com; www.adage.com.
JWT, Ann Mack, Director Trendspotting, 466 Lexington Ave., 3rd Fl., New York, NY 10017; 212-210-7378; ann.mack@jwt.com; www.jwt.com.
Parents (Meredith), Dana Points, Editor-in-Chief, 125 Park Ave., New York, NY 10017; 212-557-6600; www.parents.com.
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