That said, earlier this month I attended the Consumer Electronics Show, an annual blow-out in Las Vegas that highlights technology innovations. I made my way through 15 miles of exhibit halls buzzing with celebrities, scantily clad women (seriously? companies still do that?) and a crowd of 150,000 plus, in search of how tech companies were adapting their products to market to moms. Happily, a number of exhibitors homed in on a mother’s need for convenience, value, and other benefits that helped them parent effectively. Some highlights:

• Moms hesitant to share their expensive iPad with their kids need no longer fear. A number of companies are launching or updating kid- friendly tablets designed to offer many of the iPad’s features for significantly lower prices. Rullingnet’s Vinci early learning systems for toddlers and preschoolers stood out.

• You gotta love Origami, the “world’s first power-folding stroller” from 4moms: The stroller folds flat and unfolds with the touch of a button. Any mom who has ever stood at a bus stop struggling to get her child out of, then close, a stroller before the bus pulls away (as I have, many times), will understand the appeal. And just to make it even more interesting, the built-in battery that makes the process work recharges while the stroller is in use.

• Net Nanny, known for its desktop parental control software for PC, now offers an app for both iOS and Android devices that allows parents to use their phone to control what sites and content a child has access to.

• For moms whose job it is to keep track of everything for their families (isn’t it always?), BiKN offers thumb-drive-like devices that attach to what moms want to locate (backpack, keys, pet, etc.).

• PowerBag is a line of backpacks, rolling luggage and messenger bags that charge gadgets as they are transported, via a built-in battery and pre-routed USB and Apple charging connectors. For a mom (or anyone) who travels on business, this is a great option..

• For the fashionable woman in every mom, there are iPad, computer, and phone covers in more styles than most of us could possibly imagine. I particularly liked the creativity and fun shown in the styles by Built.

Clearly, smart companies are finally recognizing moms’ role in tech purchases and launching products that enable them to be the best moms that they can be.

The gist of the  article: Single moms are a force to be reckoned with. Today there are about 10 million of them in the U.S. with children younger than 18;  about 40% of all children now are born to single mothers. But these moms are older than what one typically imagines (average age, 39) and almost one-third have the support of a live-in partner.  While they do tend to have lower household incomes than their married counterparts, about 80% work.

The circumstances of their pregnancies also often defy perceptions. “That old fashioned idea that a single mother is someone who got pregnant by accident or didn’t want a child is just not true anymore. These days there are plenty of single moms by choice,” said Dana Points, editor in chief of Parents/American Baby.

She also pointed out that “Millennials seem to downplay the importance of marriage related to the importance of parenthood.” 2010 Pew research  found that 52% of Millennials think being a good parent is “one of the most important things” in life, compared to just 30% who said the same thing about a successful marriage.

Interestingly, in a recent Women at NBCU study,  55% of single moms agreed to the statement, “I consider myself to be a very traditional mom.”  The same study divided single moms into four groups: Girl Interrupted, Dream Girls, Survivor Mom and Secondlife Moms, each with its own very different set of experiences, influence and value to marketers, whether it’s the young Girl Interrupted’s digital communications skills or the older Survivor Mom’s brand loyalty.

For more, visit here.

Single moms — which of these four categories best describes you? Marketers, how are you targeting this  growing market?

Now, it seems, we need help — in the form of a maternity concierge.

A new Bravo show, Pregnant in Heels, follows one such professional as she helps busy New York City moms plan for the coming of their first child.

The extreme personality of all reality show “stars” aside, is it really possible that some of these women can be so in the dark about what is involved in caring for a child — surprise, you do have to feed and clean up after them! — and need to hire a very expensive consultant to lead them?

Or is this the natural course of things, as we now live far from our families and spend so much of our time focused on work?

What do you think: Are baby planners the way of the future? Have you ever used one?  And what does our “need” for them say about our society?

And yet…

How many times have I been on a flight, and a child behind me has repeatedly kicked the back of my seat!  Key word — repeatedly. Usually, I suffer through, falling back on some sort of  “we’re all in this together” mom code.  But I remember one time — after holding my tongue the first few hours into a cross-country flight — finally turning around and saying , ever so politely,  ”Sorry to bother you, I know you probably haven’t realized this, but your little one has been kicking the back of my seat for some time now and it’s very uncomfortable. Would you please ask her to stop?” only to be glared at and have the kicking continue. Nope, definitely not worthy of  a mom-code pass. Then of course there was the child who cried much of a 15-hour flight, during which her mom didn’t seem to either care or be the least bit prepared. Where were the books to read, the distracting toys, the various other supplies that every parenting magazine and blog tells you to bring along? I sometimes think: If some moms were a little more responsible, separate seating wouldn’t even be a question. And yet, I know that sometimes there’s only so much a mother can do.

While several airlines have tentatively suggested a kids-only section, European airline Ryanair announced earlier this month that is was going to take a giant step further and offer kid-free flights.

Moms, would a separate section make you feel less stressed about traveling with your kids–or do you hate the very concept of an area of your own?

This has been our experience with Child’s Play Party!, our program for providing moms around the country with a chance to try out products for no charge. We work with moms to host these “brand immersion” events in their own homes, and to invite other mom guests. We then send plenty of samples for each participant, information about the products, party theme ideas–even suggestions for decorations and snacks–plus a recommended schedule for party activities. When possible, we like to include coupons and a gift for guests to take home. Most of the moms we work with are active in social media — the majority are bloggers — which means that if they enjoy the party (and we do take pains to assure that it’s enjoyable!) they will likely comment on it in social media.

The idea is to spark grassroots buzz, and we’ve seen plenty! Our fall 2010 program for Fuzzoodles, called the Fuzzoodles Fiesta, was a blast, with moms sharing their excitement on their blogs, Facebook and twitter. Starting in two weeks,  moms will host events to launch the new Gogo’s toys.

If you’re a mom who would like to be considered for future parties, feel free to go here for more information and an application. And if you’re a brand that wants to provide moms with a hands-on experience with your product to spark both buzz and purchase, please contact Julie Livingston at (212) 488-2060 x 12 or jl@childsplaypr.com.

• More than half said they bought a smartphone “as a direct result of becoming a mom.”
• After becoming a mom, the most important smartphone features became, in order, the camera, the video, then apps. Fifty two percent of moms said they had 10 or more apps on their phone and one-quarter of them were for their kids.
• Moms are 40% more likely than avergae to use their smartphones for social networking.
• 68% of moms use their smartphones to shop and 62% report that they use shopping apps to compare prices and do research.
• The majorty of moms sleep with their smartphones next to their beds and more than half check their phones first thing in the morning.

Moms, are you devoted to your smartphone? What do you use it for and what kinds of apps would you like to see? Marketers, what apps do you offer for moms and how else do you use smartphones to reach them?

So whether you’re a toy manufacturer looking for more awareness among moms or a mom blogger interested in reviewing toys, we hope to meet you at Toy Fair! Connect with us at childsplay@childsplaypr.com.

See you there!

“It’s tough for many parents to connect with their teenagers, who sometimes view the other as an alien life form.  Maybe bonding over video games, at least for teen girls, is the way to go,” wrote Rachel Silverman in The Wall Street Journal’s popular blog, “The Juggle.”  It’s the face-to-face interaction – the quality time spent on an activity that adolescents enjoy – that makes the experience so impactful, she said.

The study, which focused on children ages 11 to 16, found that the games needed to be age-appropriate to make an impact.  When games were too mature, the research showed that parents and daughters bonded less.  The reason: intense games interfered with conversation and interaction.

While the results sound logical enough, some parents may find comfort in having a scientific study back up their pricey e-game purchase.  (The study found that boys, surprisingly, did not show a measurable benefit when playing video games with parents.)    

Moms: do you play video games with your tweens and teens?  Will this study influence your decision to purchase certain types of video games?

Marketers: Do you make any games that would be perfect for moms and their daughters to play together?

The study maintains that there are five unique segments of social moms and that these five are broken down into two categories

Influencers: Field Experts, Lifecasters and Pros

Influenced: Butterflies and the Audience 

According to the study,  these Influencers make up only 18% of social moms, but account for 78% of the influence. The research defined influence based on how often moms post or comment on social networks, along with the size of their networks. The study defined those networks as including “e.g., BabyCenter, Twitter, Facebook or blogs.”

Following is a summary of how BabyCenter breaks down its categories:

Field Expert. A young stay at home mom who uses social media to share parenting advice, typically  focused on a specific topic (e.g.,  raising twins, breastfeeding issues), with a large network of moms who seek her out for advice. She is defined as being most active in “parenting-focused social media environments.” According to the study, Field Experts make up 8% of social moms and have a 33% share of influence overall.

Lifecaster. A Millennial mom  of young children who is very active in social media.  She has a strong need to stay connected and enjoys being recognized as the person to go to on many topics, not just parenting. She has a large number of connections in social media.  Lifecasters make up 8% of social moms and 34% percent of influence overall.

Pros. Gen X mom bloggers who have turned their passion for social media into a profession. “She posts opinions and advice on a wide variety of topics including parenting tips and product reviews and giveaways.” Often, she has been compensated in some way for writing about brands on her blog. Pros represent 2% of moms in social media and have an 11% share of influence overall.  BabyCenter explains: “While they are incredibly influential individually, they account for a lower proportion of the influence overall due to their small size.” Pros are most influential on blogs, where they have an 89% share of influence and on Twitter with 68%.

And who are the Influenced?

Butterflies. Young professionals expecting their first child. She  has a lot of friends online and off, but little time, so  she tends to only post  important updates and primarily uses platforms such as Facebook.  She also seeks advice about her pregnancy on parenting-focused social media networks. She tends to be more on the receiving end of advice and recommendations rather than a dispenser of such information. Butterflies represent 16% of moms in social media but only wield 7% of the influence overall because of their low level of activity.

 The Audience. This, the largest group of social moms, is listening to the other moms. This group ranges from expectant moms to moms of older children. They have fewer online friends and comment less frequently in social media, but are highly influenced by the other segments. “Moms in this group use parenting-focused social media environments…to find useful information, ask questions, get product recommendations or receive support. They use mainstream social sites to keep in touch with friends and for consuming entertainment. They are there to observe and obtain information – not to comment.” At 66% percent of moms who use social media, the audience makes up the largest group but wields little influence relative to their size at 15% overall.

Moms, do you feel these categories make sense? Into which group do you fall? Marketers, what is your reaction?

 For more details on the “2010 Mom Social Influencer Report,” visit here.

First, a summary of key messages:

• Motherhood is the #1 reason for social media usage.  According to the research, pregnancy and birth motivated the vast majority of mothers in social media —  94% — to seek out information and share opinions with others online.
• Just 18% of social moms wield an astonishing 78% of the overall influence.
• Mom bloggers — as compared with all moms in social media  — make up 16% of the audience but are responsible for a huge percentage — 67% — of the influence.
• Not surprisingly, moms use different social sites for different reasons, from socializing to gathering information.

Moms, what motivated you to get involved in social media? What do you use it for? Where do you like to go, and why? Marketers, how do these findings impact your plans for reaching moms through social media?

For more on the BabyCenter “2010 Mom Social Influencer Report”  visit here. or check out tomorrow’s post for more on the subject.