Earlier this month, Salary.com released the results of its 10th annual survey on the subject.

It found that stay-at-home moms should earn $117,856 and that mothers who also  work outside the home would earn an additional $71,860 above their regular salary for doing what they [...]]]> As a stay-at-home mom, what’s your worth?  The bad news is: This year, less than usual.

Earlier this month, Salary.com released the results of its 10th annual survey on the subject.

It found that stay-at-home moms should earn $117,856 and that mothers who also  work outside the home would earn an additional $71,860 above their regular salary for doing what they do as  moms. But the recession impacted the results, dragging those numbers down by 4% for stay-at-home mothers and 6% for working moms.

Furthermore, the survey found that moms rack up more than 96 hours a week of work when combining a full-time job, mom hours, and mom overtime — four hours more than last year, meaning everyone is working more, for less. 

The  salary figures were based on the time women spent on what were identified as the 10 most popular job functions of a mother. Salary.com established its figures by considering the market value for those tasks, which include laundry machine operator, janitor, van driver, computer operator, housekeeper, day care center teacher, cook, chief executive officer, psychologist, and facilities manager.

The survey also found that moms are spending more time this year on tasks such as preparing meals, making sure the home stays in good repair, and shuttling the family to activities.

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Just a generation ago – [...]]]> It’s not news that moms may have a tougher time finding work if they’ve taken extended time off to raise their kids. Now, however, stay-at-home dads are feeling the pinch. To the work world, time away is just as – perhaps more – detrimental for a man than for a woman.

Just a generation ago – when my own child, CollegeBoy, was growing up — the stay-at-home dad (Mr. Mom as he was known then) was a true anomaly. Yet in 2009, a record 7.4% of fathers in married-couple families with children under 18 were home while their wives worked, according to unpublished Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal article on this subject.

According to the story, stay-at-home dads “face a bigger stigma” among potential employers than stay-at-home moms. Dads who are attempting to return in the wake of the recession are feeling the impact big-time when competing for what positions exist, as it was primarily jobs held by men that were eliminated – leading to what some have labeled a “he –cession.”

How do you feel about dads leaving work to stay home with their kids? Do you feel that it’s only fair that dads take a turn – or do you feel it’s moms’ responsibility? When SHOULD it be the husband and not the wife who makes the move home? And do you think it’s acceptable for employers to think less of a man for taking time off to care for his kids – even if their logic is that as a result he is behind his peers on current industry knowledge, skills and contacts?

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Most will buy school supplies, followed by [...]]]> Consumers will cut their spending for the 2009 back-to-school season, but not as much as in 2008, according to a recent NPD Group study. There was a 5% drop in those who said they don’t plan to shop for the season (77%) compared to the same time last year.

Most will buy school supplies, followed by apparel, footwear and electronics. 79% will buy a product because of its value, 45% because “it’s required.” 82% will shop at an office supply store, 42% at mass merchant/discount stores, 29% at chain stores and 20% at department stores.

What are your back-to-school shopping plans this year?

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So much for birthing babies into the lap of luxury. This morning’s New York Times points out that even high-income couples are now looking first to second-hand sources when buying for their kids. Craig’s List, hand-me-downs and other money-saving options have become the purchasing preference [...]]]>  

So much for birthing babies into the lap of luxury. This morning’s New York Times points out that even high-income couples are now looking first to second-hand sources when buying for their kids. Craig’s List, hand-me-downs and other money-saving options have become the purchasing preference for many parents.

The reasons: Beyond the practical – in this recession, you never know if you’ll have a job tomorrow – there are both philosophical and perceptual. In the current economy, even couples who are OK financially don’t want to openly champion conspicuous consumption. No longer are moms and dads pointedly asking retailers for the most expensive item in the shop.

What the Times calls the “play and discover” market – a $343 million category for toys and goods marketed to parents of children under  a year old – has declined by more than a third in the past 18 months. According to the article, “New purchases have become more considered, less spontaneous.”

Moms – how have your shopping habits changed? Are you going second-hand for the first time? Marketers, are you experiencing this trend – and how are you responding?

For more, see the New York Times article here.

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 Dad may have had his Day on Sunday, but he is also experiencing an extended paternal moment. Whether by choice or circumstance, more dads are finding themselves increasingly responsible for daily parenting.

 In response, they are making a place for themselves [...]]]>

 Dad may have had his Day on Sunday, but he is also experiencing an extended paternal moment. Whether by choice or circumstance, more dads are finding themselves increasingly responsible for daily parenting.

 In response, they are making a place for themselves in what has traditionally been “mom” territory. In growing numbers, they are creating dads-only playgroups, launching “daddy” blogs and posting parenting tips on Twitter.

This younger generation of dads is naturally more inclined to be involved with child-rearing than those before them—to many fathers today, sharing parenting responsibility is the norm rather than the exception. Working mothers expect it. Telecommuting and workplace flexibility have enabled it. And right now, the Recession is making it almost inevitable. There are more men out of work than women, making many working wives the family’s sole wage earner and even sending stay-at-home moms back to the workforce. Moms who are already working are sometimes putting in longer hours or taking on a second job to make ends meet – leaving little time for parenting tasks. With family income diminished, outside child care often becomes a luxury of the past.

For these reasons, some men are finding themselves chief caregiver for the first time in their lives – a fact that smart marketers who once exclusively targeted moms must recognize and respond to. Along with responsibility for changing diapers comes deciding which brand to buy.

How are dads responding to their new status?

Between taking on new at-home responsibilities and dealing in many cases with the loss of their work identities, they are turning to other dads in similar situations for support and advice on how to cope with both scenarios.

• Playgroups. It’s awkward for dads to be the only guy in a group designed for moms. In response, they’ve begun forming their own support/playgroups. With their charges in tow, they’re connecting not just in playgrounds, zoos and other kid-friendly locations, but also on sports fields, where they enjoy quality time with their little ones while also exchanging parenting tips and sometimes, job hunting experiences and advice. The web site Meet-up.com lists 171 dads groups across the country. 

·       Blogs. Mom blogs have been receiving a lot of attention of late. Now, Dads are getting into the act, blogging as another way to share their experiences and connect with other dads. While their numbers are small in comparison to their partners’, daddy bloggers are making their presence known. At Child’s Play Communications, where we’ve managed mommy blogger programs for some time, we are suddenly hearing from dad bloggers asking to join our review network – to the degree that we’re about to launch a separate Digital Dads group. On blogs, dads, like their female counterparts, talk about everything from potty training to politics – with a bit more emphasis, perhaps, on kids’ sports, the latest tech gadgets and in at least one case, the merits of different brands of beer. “You’re used to networking within your profession and now you’re isolated at home,” said Ron Mattocks of Clark Kent’s Lunchbox, whose tagline is, Daddy’s lost his job – now he’s got a blog. “There are a lot of guys out there trying to understand that and trying to reconcile that new role.” Dadlabs.com posts product reviews, while Daddytude describes itself as a journey with a not-so-perfect dad. Daddy Dialectic is a group blog by and about dads who “embrace caregiving and egalitarian relationships.” Some of these dads and many others can also be found on Twitter.   

•  Conferences. Yes, there is even an at-home dads’ convention, scheduled for October.

While moms still remain responsible for the vast majority of household purchasing decisions, today’s dads are increasingly having their say. Companies targeting families may want to consider reaching out to Dad bloggers and tweeters, establishing a presence on social networking sites, sponsoring playgroups and otherwise recognizing that father’s day is far from over.

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Talk about mom-friendly companies…

The Human Resources department at a Deerfield, Michigan accounting firm partners pregnant women with other employees who have recently had babies, so that moms-to-be can ask questions and get support. The “buddies” [...]]]>  

Talk about mom-friendly companies…

The Human Resources department at a Deerfield, Michigan accounting firm partners pregnant women with other employees who have recently had babies, so that moms-to-be can ask questions and get support. The “buddies” also assist the new moms in making the transition back to work.

The buddies are encouraged to meet on company time, go out for lunches together and participate in relationship-building exercises, says Kristen Cifolelli, HR Manager for the company, Plante & Moran.

Moms, does your employer have mom-friendly policies?

Marketers, are you offering new parents incentives to stay—or cutting benefits to keep costs down during the Recession?

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