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Lifestyles of Mums - UK - May 2016

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mums see themselves as ‘doing it all’
Figure 1: What being a ‘good mother’ means, March 2016
Finding alternatives to sedentary entertainment
Figure 2: Activities that bring families together, March 2016
Incorporating educational value into character merchandise
Figure 3: Perceptions of products with characters on pack, March 2016
Mums’ ambitions for their kids
Figure 4: Mothers’ attitudes towards raising children, March 2016
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Making sure the kids are alright
The facts
The implications
Setting up good habits through character merchandising
The facts
The implications
Selling convenience to modern parents
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The baby boom subsides
Rising diversity of families
Rising costs of childcare hit lower income parents
Reliance on family grows for families with under-5s
Grandparents’ contribution to childcare recognised
MARKET DRIVERS
Number of mothers
Figure 5: Number of mothers and fathers with dependent children in the household, UK, 2005-15
Number of live births
Figure 6: Total fertility rate (TFR) and number of live births, England and Wales, 2009-14
Family composition
Figure 7: UK families (thousands), 2010 and 2015
Figure 8: Family composition – dependent children, March 2016
Mums’ working status
Figure 9: Working status of mothers, March 2016
Figure 10: Average hourly cost of a childminder for a child aged 2+, England, 2005 to 2014
Parents’ support network
Figure 11: Informal childcare hours by age, UK, 2005-14
Figure 12: Who helps look after children in a typical week, by working status, March 2016
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
A ‘good mum’ prioritises healthy family nutrition
Technology as a babysitter
Character merchandising with added value
Children’s education is a top concern
Shared parental leave: one year on
MATERNITY LEAVE AND FAMILY FINANCES
38% of mums went back to work after their child’s first birthday
Figure 13: Age of youngest child when mother went back to work after maternity, March 2016
Work doesn’t cover childcare for lower earning mums
Figure 14: Age of youngest child when mother went back to work after maternity, by current financial situation, March 2016
Family finances OK on balance
Figure 15: Financial situation compared to a year ago, March 2016
Figure 16: Sentiment about financial situation over the next year or so, March 2016
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A ‘GOOD MOTHER’
Good mums ‘do it all’
Figure 17: What being a ‘good mother’ means, March 2016
Finding authenticity on social media
Figure 18: Front page of the motherpukka.com website, April 2016
Working mums are under more strain
Helping mums take care of family health
Figure 19: Screenshot of the Eat & Move-O-Matic mobile all, April 2016
Priorities shift as children grow older
Figure 20: Selected qualities of a ‘good mother’, by age group of youngest child, March 2016
MOMENTS THAT BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER
Families prioritise outside activities
Figure 21: Activities that bring families together, March 2016
Figure 22: ‘Come home to play’ campaign from IKEA, April 2016
Moving away from sedentary entertainment
Figure 23: Activities that bring families together – Watching TV, by age group of youngest child, March 2016
Figure 24: Screenshot from This Girl Can campaign, April 2016
Going back to tradition
HOW KIDS OCCUPY THEMSELVES IF MUM IS BUSY
Leaving kids to digital devices
Figure 25: How children occupy themselves when mums are busy/not around, by age group of youngest child, March 2016
Figure 26: Screenshot from the Dumb Ways to Die campaign, April 2016
Technology overtakes traditional play amongst teens
MUMS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS KIDS’ ENTERTAINMENT SOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY USE
TV programmes – go-to source of entertainment
Figure 27: Correspondence analysis – Associations with children’s entertainment sources, March 2016
Figure 28: Associations with children’s entertainment sources, March 2016
There is an app for that
Figure 29: Mums’ attitudes towards children using technology, March 2016
Figure 30: Mums’ attitudes towards children using technology, by mums’ working status, March 2016
Figure 31: Screenshot from Zemcar website, April 2016
Wearable technologies can provide reassurance for parents
ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHARACTER MERCHANDISING
Characters are the biggest draw for younger kids
Figure 32: Purchases of products with well-known characters on-pack, by age group of youngest child, March 2016
Figure 33: New product launches in food with characters on packaging, 2015-16
Earning parents’ trust
Figure 34: Perceptions of products with characters on pack, March 2016
Simplifying family routines
Figure 35: New product launches in health and hygiene with characters on packaging, 2015
Kids aged 3-7 are the biggest collectors of character merchandise
Figure 36: Perceptions of products with characters on pack, March 2016
MUMS’ CONCERNS
Children’s safety – biggest concern
Figure 37: Mums’ worries, March 2016
Figure 38: Screenshot of the MamaBear mobile app, April 2016
Steering kids towards future careers
Need for family ‘digital detox’
MUMS’ ATTITUDES
Family support is becoming crucial
Figure 39: Mothers’ attitudes towards raising children, March 2016
The cost of achievement
Figure 40: Mothers’ attitudes towards raising children, continued, March 2016
Few dads take up the shared parental leave
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Correspondence Analysis Methodology
Abbreviations
Definitions
Generations

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