Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- High cost of raising a child, slow wage growth, leading to smaller families
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- Figure 1: Cost to raise a child from birth to age 18 for middle-income families, by share of expense, 1993 vs 2013
- Moms aren’t as likely to value media sources
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- Figure 2: Value of parenting resources, June 2016
- Self-care is a common challenge among all moms
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- Figure 3: Challenges of motherhood – Self-care, June 2016
- Moms less confident about their own social lives, having it “all-together”
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- Figure 4: Perceptions of different moms, by “typical” moms, June 2016
- The opportunities
- Education and health most concerning to moms
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- Figure 5: Concerns moms have for children, by new moms vs experienced moms, June 2016
- Multiple-child families find refuge in outdoor spaces
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- Figure 6: Activities moms do with their child(ren) - Physical, by number of children in household, June 2016
- Working moms are high-achieving and driven
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- Figure 7: Attitudes about motherhood, by employment status, June 2016
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Moms represent 14% of the US population aged 15+
- Number of births drop in 2015, again
- Age of first-time moms hits record high
- Minority births outpacing non-Hispanic White births
- Cost to raise a child continues to grow
- More moms are leaving the labor force to stay at home
Moms by the Numbers
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- More than two thirds of moms are between the ages of 25-44
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- Figure 8: Estimated number of moms who have children younger than 18 living in the household, by age, 2015
- Majority of first-time moms between ages 20-29
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- Figure 9: Share of total births, by age of mother at first birth, 2014
- Births to unmarried women plateaus following recession
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- Figure 10: Share of births to unmarried women, 2000-14
- Minority births outpacing non-Hispanic White births
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- Figure 11: Births, by race/Hispanic origin of mother, preliminary, 2015
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- Figure 12: Race/Hispanic origin of children under age 1, 2010-15
Moms by Type
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- Profile of new moms
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- Figure 13: Profile of new moms, index to all moms, June 2016
- Profile of experienced moms
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- Figure 14: Profile of experienced moms, index to all moms, June 2016
- Profile of employed moms
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- Figure 15: Profile of employed moms, index to all moms, June 2016
- Profile of moms with multiple children
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- Figure 16: Profile of moms with two+ children, index to all moms, June 2016
Market Perspective
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- 2014 baby bump doesn’t appear to be a lasting trend
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- Figure 17: Number of births in the US, 2002-15
- Teen births also in decline
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- Figure 18: Births and share of total births, by age of mother, 2014 and preliminary 2015
Market Factors
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- Increasing cost of raising kids largely due to education and child care
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- Figure 19: Share of total costs to raise a child from birth to age 18 for middle-income families, 1993 vs 2013
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- Figure 20: Education and child care costs, 1993-2013
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- Figure 21: Labor force participation, by all women and mothers, 1975-2013
- Labor following labor: Why maternity leave matters
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- Figure 22: Labor force participation, by gender and parent status, 2015 annual averages
Key Themes – What’s Trending with Moms
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- Parenting is personal and nobody has perfected it yet
- Mealtime struggles and health concerns for moms
- Technology provides both relief as well as stress
- Working moms aren’t necessarily out of the home
Key Themes – A Closer Look
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- Mom-dentity
- Mom’s identity: Sure, I’m a mom, but I’m also…
- Moms proud do to parenting their own way
- “Reality” moms versus moms in reality
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- Figure 23: Bad Moms | Official trailer | now playing in theaters, May 2016
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- Figure 24: American Housewife – Official trailer, May 2016
- Managing mealtime and health concerns
- Meal kits may provide peace and harmony at mealtime
- Battle for food transparency
- Healthy kids, happy moms
- Constant monitoring and unwritten rules of technology
- Is instant information access creating more anxious moms?
- Unwritten rules about moms and social media
- Working moms finding alternatives to a 9-5
- Continued struggle for modern and equal benefits
- Multi-level marketing and its appeal to stay-at-home moms
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Go ask your mother: Advice from real people is valued over media
- Moms see themselves more positively when compared to others
- Self-care put on the back burner while social pressures exist
- Watching TV is the top activity, but that doesn’t mean moms aren’t involved
- Long-term decisions tend to be concerning for moms
- Half of moms say they wouldn’t change anything in their lives
Value of Parenting Resources
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- My mom knows best
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- Figure 25: Value of parenting resources, June 2016
- Greater appreciation for all moms occurs at an older age
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- Figure 26: Value of parenting sources – Select people, by generation, June 2016
- Millennials value media sources
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- Figure 27: Value of parenting sources – Select media, by generation, June 2016
- Higher household incomes value media, lower prefer personal sources
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- Figure 28: Value of parenting sources, by household income, June 2016
- Experienced moms value personal sources
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- Figure 29: Value of parenting sources – Select items, by new moms vs experienced moms, June 2016
- More Hispanic moms turn to media for guidance
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- Figure 30: Value of parenting sources – Select items, by Hispanic origin, June 2016
Perceptions of Different Moms
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- Moms view themselves more positively
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- Figure 31: Perceptions of self as a mom, own mom, and “typical” moms, June 2016
- Appearances increase in importance as household income increases
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- Figure 32: Perception of self as a mom – Select items, by household income, June 2016
- New moms embracing motherhood by adapting their lives to it
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- Figure 33: Perception of self as a mom – Select items, by new moms versus experienced moms, June 2016
- How moms feel they compare to “typical” moms
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- Figure 34: Perception of self as a mom versus “typical” moms, June 2016
- How moms feel they compare to their own mom
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- Figure 35: Perception of self as a mom versus own mom, June 2016
Challenges of Motherhood
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- Self-care is largely a struggle among all moms
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- Figure 36: Challenges of motherhood, June 2016
- New moms feeling the pressure; experienced moms try to achieve balance
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- Figure 37: Challenges of motherhood – Select items, by new moms vs experienced moms, June 2016
- Moms with lower household incomes in need of time for themselves
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- Figure 38: Challenges of motherhood – Self-care, by household income <$25K vs all, June 2016
- Balancing romantic relationships with child’s needs
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- Figure 39: Challenges of motherhood – Relationships, by number of children, June 2016
- More challenges with younger kids, increased expectations for older kids
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- Figure 40: Challenges of motherhood – Select items, by age of children, June 2016
Activities Moms Do with Their Children
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- Regular activities include watching TV and food-related
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- Figure 41: Activities moms do with their child(ren), June 2016
- TV
- Advertising remembered more by moms
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- Figure 42: Women’s advertising recall when shopping, by parent status, 2004-15
- Food
- Physical activity
- Teachable moments
- Younger moms stay closer to home
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- Figure 43: Activities moms do with their child(ren) – Select items, by new moms vs experienced moms, June 2016
- More children, more physical activities
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- Figure 44: Activities moms do with their child(ren) – Play and exercise, by number of children in household, June 2016
- Midwest moms prefer food-related activities
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- Figure 45: Activities moms do with their child(ren) – Food related, by region, June 2016
Concerns Moms Have for Children
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- Education reigns as primary concern moms have for children
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- Figure 46: Concerns moms have for children, June 2016
- Experienced moms are more concerned about long-term issues
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- Figure 47: Concerns moms have for children, by new moms vs experienced moms, June 2016
- Having more children increases moms’ concern about kids’ relationships
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- Figure 48: Concerns moms have for children – Select items, by number of children in household, June 2016
Attitudes about Motherhood
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- Half of moms wouldn’t change anything in their lives
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- Figure 49: Attitudes about motherhood – Any agree, June 2016
- Attitudes about raising their children
- Attitudes toward personal and home life
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- Figure 50: Why is laundry only a mother’s job? dads #sharetheload (English) – Ariel, February 2016
- New moms want to look good for their families
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- Figure 51: Attitudes about motherhood – Any agree – Personal appearances, by new moms vs experienced moms, June 2016
- Moms with higher household incomes are more frustrated
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- Figure 52: Attitudes about motherhood – Any agree – Select personal and home life, by household income, June 2016
- Working moms want to do it all
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- Figure 53: Attitudes about motherhood – Any agree – Select items, by employment status, June 2016
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Supporting data
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 54: Average size of households in the US, 1960-2015
- Figure 55: Number and share of births, by age of mother and by live-birth order, 2014
- Figure 56: Number and share of births, by race/Hispanic origin, 2004-14
- Figure 57: Median household income, 2004-14
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- Figure 58: Cost of raising a child to age 18, 1990-2013
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Appendix – Consumer
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- Figure 59: Women’s advertising recall when shopping, by parent status, 2004-15
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