Only one in five families have a stay-at-home mother and a full-time working father.

Are fathers more likely than mothers to be guilt spenders?

What leisure priorities do boys and girls have once they reach ten years old?

Changes in the structure and characteristics of family life over the past few decades have included smaller family sizes, fewer children being born in total, older parents, more single parents and more step-families. How do these factors influence their lives as consumers? Working mothers are now just as likely as fathers to emphasise the importance of personal fulfilment or the career satisfaction that they get from employment, but considerably more likely to attach importance to the companionship and social life that they derive from their paid work. What impact does this have on leisure spending? With much social pressure, and despite the popularity of the 'TV dinner', eating main meals at the table is still a more common option among those with children than eating in front of the TV. What opportunities does this present for manufacturers?

This report focuses on the attitudes of parents towards a range of issues, including their attitudes towards work and family life, and to spending on their children. More than nine out of ten parents acknowledge that they enjoy buying things for their children, but do not like being held to ransom over price. Will there be a harder look at marketing and advertising to children in the near future? Where is the grass seen to be greener on the other side - to work or not to work? What is the importance of 'pester power' in respect to the purchase of toys and games for children? What other changes will appear in the workplace in the future? Family Lifestyles and the Effect of Work provides a detailed picture of how attitudes may vary according to a number of factors, including working, marital status, and age of the children.

Other recent Mintel reports which have examined consumer lifestages in depth are:

- Special Report, The 20/30 Somethings and Their Changing Eating Habits

- Special Report, 2020: Tomorrow's Consumer

- Special Report, Women 2000

- Special Report, Men 2000

- Special Report, British Lifestyles, 2000

- Special Report, Third Age - A Time to Travel

- Special Report, Single Person Households

- Special Report, Pre-family Lifestyles

- Special Report, Lifestage and Distribution Channels

- Special Report, Men Living Alone

- Special Report, Student Lifestyles.