Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- Young families are not all the same
- Highlights
- Considerations
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- Figure 1: Emerging Generation, by race and Hispanic origin, 2018
- Figure 2: Living arrangements of children under age 18, 2017
- Parents want more family time
- Highlights
- Considerations
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- Figure 3: Percentage of parents who agree with statement, by key demographic groups, November 2018
- Parents are worried
- Highlights
- Considerations
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- Figure 4: Percentage of parents who agree with statement, by key demographic groups, November 2018
- Lack of regulation makes YouTube another thing to worry about
- Highlights
- Considerations
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- Figure 5: Typical activities of kids under age 12, November 2018
- Analog activities remain relevant
- Highlights
- Considerations
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- Figure 6: Percentage of kids who do selected activities, by kid age, November 2018
- What it means
Young Families in the US – What You Need to Know
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- The birth dearth continues
- Nuclear family structures are evolving
- Paid childcare remains expensive
- School safety worries both parents and kids
- Parents placing greater emphasis on kindness and emotional health
Characteristics of Young Families
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- Motherhood is starting later
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- Figure 7: Average age of mother at first birth, 1990-2016
- US fertility rate is dropping
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- Figure 8: Annual births and general fertility rate, 2006-2017
- Slowing birthrates mean fewer households with young kids
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- Figure 9: US households, by presence and ages of own children, 2008 and 2018
- Kids in young families reflect growing diversity
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- Figure 10: Population by race, Hispanic origin, and generation, 2018
- Only two thirds of kids live with married parents
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- Figure 11: Living arrangements of children under age 18, 1968, 1997, 2017
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- Figure 12: Neil Lane Bridal Engagement Rings at KAY, November 2018
- Solo parents are more likely to be multicultural moms
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- Figure 13: Living arrangements of children under age 18, by race and Hispanic origin, 2017
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- Figure 14: Median household income, by type of household, 2016
- Affordable childcare remains an oxymoron
- Both parents and children have school safety concerns
- Teaching kindness in an unkind world
- Schools begin to recognize the importance of social-emotional curriculums
- Raising boys in the age of #metoo
Key Trends – What You Need to Know
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- Parents grow mindful of mindfulness
- Kids’ increasing interest in cooking
- Cost of team sports leaves some kids warming the bench
- Hasbro drops the ball on Black Panther
- “Theybies” emerge as a parenting trend
What’s working?
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- Lifestyle: Families embrace mindfulness
- Mindfulness in schools
- Mindfulness at home
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- Figure 15: Screenshot of Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
- Marketing: More multiracial families in advertising
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- Figure 16: Amazon Echo Spot “Bedtime Story,” November 2018
- Brands & Business: Capitalizing on kids’ increasing interest in cooking and baking
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- Figure 17: Percentage of children aged 6-11 who cook/bake, 2008-2018
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- Figure 18: Making Ricotta with Little Sous, March 2018
What’s struggling?
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- Lifestyle: Participation in team sports is waning
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- Figure 19: Children aged 6 -12 (by household income) who played a team sport at least one day during 2017
- Marketing: Department of Education’s social media slipup
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- Figure 20: US Department of Education Twitter post, February 2017
- Brands & Business: Hasbro struggles to predict demand
What’s next?
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- Lifestyle: Parenting “theybies”
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- Figure 21: “Unicorns rule, bro!” Facebook post, June 2018
- Marketing: Vacationing families offer digital marketing opportunities
- Targeting Millennial families
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- Figure 22: Four Seasons Instagram post, October 2018
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- Figure 23: FordSocial’s “Five Beautiful Road Trips to Check Off Your Bucket List”
- Brands & Business: Apps will make parenting easier (for a price)
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- Figure 24: Review of Artkive app, July 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Adult relatives are helping with childcare
- Parents are worried, but confident
- Quality time comes in many forms
- Younger kids do lots of watching and playing
- Crafting and board games are still relevant
- Responsibility, respect, and compassion are key
Young Family Childcare Dynamics
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- Two thirds of moms have paying jobs
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- Figure 25: Parental employment, by gender of parent, November 2018
- One-in-five families relies on an adult relative for workday childcare
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- Figure 26: Young families’ childcare situations, by child age, November 2018
- Relatives help out in higher-income households too
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- Figure 27: Young families’ childcare situations, by household income, November 2018
- Childcare needs are consistent across ethnicities
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- Figure 28: Young families’ childcare situations, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2018
Parenting Attitudes
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- Parents want more family time
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- Figure 29: Percentage of parents who agree with each statement, November 2018
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- Figure 30: Citi Mobile App “Kiddie Shoes”, March 2018
- Parents are confident in their parenting
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- Figure 31: Percentage of parents who agree with statement, by age of kid, November 2018
- The worry is real … and universal
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- Figure 32: Percentage of parents who agree with statement, by key demographic groups, November 2018
- Millennial parents embrace nostalgia
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- Figure 33: Percentage of parents who agree with statement, by parent age, November 2018
- Most parents strive for household democracy
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- Figure 34: Percentage of parents who agree with each statement, November 2018
- Dads take a more laidback approach to parenting
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- Figure 35: Percentage of parents who agree with each statement, by gender of parent, November 2018
Family Activities
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- Cultural activities are common for most young families
- Family road trips are still a common childhood experience
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- Figure 36: 2018 Subaru Outback | Never Too Early (Extended), April 2018
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- Figure 37: 2019 Subaru Ascent | Big Ideas for Big Families | Healthy Snacks, September 2018
- Time outdoors is common for young families, but in smaller amounts
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- Figure 38: Activities families do together at least once per year, November 2018
- Almost all families eat dinner together regularly
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- Figure 39: Activities families do together at least once per week, November 2018
- Multicultural families go to the movies more often
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- Figure 40: Frequency of family movie-going, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2018
- African American families more likely to attend religious services
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- Figure 41: Frequency of family religious service/meeting attendance, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2018
Activities for Kids and Parents
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- Most younger kids balance indoor with outdoor play
- Almost all kids watch TV, most parents watch with them
- One quarter of kids watch YouTube alone
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- Figure 42: Typical activities of kids under age 12, November 2018
- Parents’ digital competency impacts the activities they do with their kids
- Younger parents bond with kids over YouTube
- Arts and crafts are more relevant to older parents
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- Figure 43: Percentage of parents who do selected activities with their kids, by parent generation, November 2018
- Interest in reading remains consistent as kids age
- Outdoor play evolves
- Age 6-11 is the sweet spot for crafting and board games
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- Figure 44: Pimple Pete game from Spin Master, December 2018
- Figure 45: Percentage of kids who do selected activities, by kid age, November 2018
- Typical activities change as kids develop new skills and independence
- Kids aged 6-11 play video games at the same rate as tweens and teens
- Age brings chores, for most
- Responsibility can come with privileges
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- Figure 46: Percentage of kids who do selected activities, by kid age, November 2018
- Kids from higher-income families more likely to join classes and teams
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- Figure 47: Percentage of kids aged 0-11 who do selected activities, by household income, November 2018
Parental Aspirations
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- Parents want responsible, respectful, and compassionate kids
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- Figure 48: Top qualities parents want their kids to develop, November 2018
- Timing is important when cultivating positive characteristics
- Respect comes first
- Parents of older kids emphasize different skills
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- Figure 49: Selected qualities parents want their kids to develop, by age of kid, November 2018
- Household income can influence value of personality traits
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- Figure 50: Selected qualities parents want their kids to develop, by household income, November 2018
- Racial background influences some parents’ aspirations for kids
- White parents prioritize kindness and compassion
- Black parents value academic success and determination
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- Figure 51: Selected qualities parents want their kids to develop, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2018
Young Family Parent Segments
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- Factors
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- Figure 52: Size of young family parent segments, November 2018
- Overwhelmed Providers (36%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Parenting Pros (28%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Hands-Off Parents (21%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Busy Buddies (15%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Generation Definitions
Appendix – Young Family Demographics
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- Figure 53: Average age of mother at first birth, 1990-2016
- Figure 54: Annual births and general fertility rate, 2006-17
- Figure 55: Households, by presence and ages of own children, 2008 and 2018
- Figure 56: Population by race, Hispanic origin, and generation, 2018
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- Figure 57: Living arrangements of children under age 18, by race, 2017
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