Candy and flower sellers, beware. What you offer is not what moms really want for Mother’s Day.

To get a feel for what was really important on this special day, we polled 70 moms.  The results offer some insight into how moms think.

Despite the fact that moms so often say they are overworked, totally stressed and desperately in need of time for themselves, Mother’s Day is clearly not the day they want to take it. Fifty moms said they wanted to spend that time with their families rather than on their own.  When it came to how to spend that family time, 50% more moms preferred “just hanging out at home” (30 moms) to “brunch” (20 moms) as their favorite Mother’s Day activity. Only a few opted for movies or shopping. Other plans for the day included walks on the beach, going to the park, cookouts, picnics and short trips.

Moms who preferred to spend time alone opted 2:1 for “doing something just for me” over “doing nothing but relaxing.”  For moms who wanted to do something special for themselves, pampering was the name of the game: 22 opted for massages, just edging out manicures and pedicures. When asked what Mother’s Day gifts they would most like to receive, moms chose “help around the house” far more frequently than the alternatives: brunch, dinner, flowers or jewelry.

Not a single mom wanted to spend the day “catching up” or “with friends.” Interestingly, only two said they wanted to spend the day with their own moms.

Yet when queried about which moms inspired them most, 44 cited their own moms, while most others mentioned other family members and even friends. Celebrity moms – Hillary Clinton, Anne Romney, Michelle Obama and Angelina Jolie — received a total of 16 votes. Mrs. Obama led the pack, while Hillary and Angelina each received one vote. No votes here for Anne Romney – but with five sons of her own, she won’t exactly be lacking for attention on Mother’s Day.

The hottest new social media program around, Pinterest is a “virtual pinboard” that allows users to create online collections of things they love and share those graphics and accompanying content easily with others. Moms can create “boards” on the Pinterest site, then “pin” original graphics they have created or “repin” graphics found on others’ Pinterest boards or elsewhere online.  The program enables them to discover, group and share everything from crafts to home décor to favorite fashions.

TechCrunch recently crowned Pinterest 2011’s “Best New Start Up,” and in February alone, Pinterest saw 16.23 million unique users.  TechCrunch also reported that 80% of Pinterest’s user base is female.

With that as background, at Child’s Play, we decided to go a step further and see exactly how interest in Pinterest played out specifically among moms.  Feedback from 250 moms across the country not only showed that many moms were using the program, but how and why. Key findings:

• 96.7% of moms surveyed (all active bloggers) said they were using Pinterest.
• Top 5 reasons why:
  • It’s just fun (90.0%)
  • I like organizing my interests (67.8%)
  • I like looking at beautiful things (67.0%)
  • Makes my blog, Website, Facebook or Twitter stream more interesting (55.7%)
  • It helps me drive traffic to my blog or Web site (53.5%)
• About the same number (68.0% vs. 65.3%) said they used Pinterest on their blog and on Facebook, respectively.
• The number of Pinterest boards each mom had ran from a low of 1 to a high of 83, averaging out at 18.
• “Food/recipes” was by far (91.4%) the category/subject moms pinned the most. Others in the top 5 were “Crafts” (74.5%), “Home Décor” (55.5%) “How-To” (52.7%), and “Fashion” (39.5%).
• Fewer than half of moms (42.3%) used Pinterest to plan events, with 78.7% of that number planning a child’s birthday party.
• Interestingly, of the moms surveyed, only 4.1% just pinned original graphics, 5.5% only repinned others’ graphics, and the vast majority (94.5%) did a combination of both, with a quarter (25.1%) also creating original graphics specifically for pinning.
• About two-thirds of moms (66.5%) both pinned when they came across something of interest and pro-actively searched for items to pin.
• Moms’ top sources for repins:
  • Blogs of friends (65.5%)
  • Craft sites (49.0%)
  • Foodies (45.0%)
  • Their own blog (40%)

For marketers, Pinterest presents an opportunity to connect with moms by offering tantalizing visuals for them to pin and repin and creating Pinterest-based contests and other interactive activities to further engage this audience. This approach not only develops an additional social media connection but, because pins link back to their source, also drives incoming links to the brand’s online presence, impacting SEO.

Asked who was doing the best job among companies currently engaged on Pinterest, moms mentioned Land’s End, Kraft Foods, Real Simple, Totsy, Home Depot and Disney Family Fun, among others. Kudos were given to those who pinned a variety of topics both from their own sources and others, who offered helpful recipes and who added great photos.

“For generations, mothers have gotten one message: that keeping their sons close is wrong, possibly even dangerous. A mother who fosters a deep emotional bond with her son, we’ve been told, is setting him up to be weak and effeminate — an archetypal mama’s boy. He’ll never be independent or able to form healthy adult relationships.”

Lombardi notes that while we have dramatically changed the way we’ve raised our daughters in recent generations, the old myths still apply when it comes to sons.  “Daddy’s girls” are good, “mama’s boys” are bad.

According to the book,  the idea of a close relationship doing damage to our sons is nonsense and there has never been scientific evidence to support the negatives.  In fact a study of more than 400 middle school boys showed that sons who were close to their mothers were less likely  to define masculinity as being physically tough,  stoic and self-reliant and “not only remained more emotionally open, forming stronger friendships, but they also were less depressed and anxious than their more macho classmates. And they were getting better grades.”

Moms, what about it? Is it OK to be as connected to your sons as to your daughters? Are you raising your boys and girls in the same way, or holding yourself back when it comes to your sons?

For the complete story, visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203960804577241610532233188.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5.

A 2010 Yahoo survey of 2,400 U.S. men ages 18 to 64 found that more than half identified themselves as their household’s primary grocery shopper. According to these dads:

• One-third clean and cook
• 83% bring up brands in conversations with friends
• Two in three chat about brands on social sites.

2011 research by Ipsos among 2,800 moms and dads found that dads are the major players when it comes to entertainment. The research showed that they:

• Spend 50% more time than moms with their kids online
• Are 50% more likely than moms to take the kids to a movie
• Are also more likely to take the kids to theater, sporting events or concerts

Although I come from a household where it’s dad who does most of the grocery shopping (and is the far better cook), I find some of these stats hard to credit: How dads perceive their involvement and how the women in their lives view it has historically shown a very wide gap. Far more evidence is needed before I’m convinced dads are really talking about detergent brands on social networking sites.  A recent New England Consulting Group survey of 200 men and women indicated that 70% of consumer-package-goods volume is still purchased by women.

While the numbers may be off, there is no denying that dads are in fact more involved these days in purchasing. The reasons are largely two-fold: The poor economy of recent years stranded some dads at home, where – especially if their wives are working – they are naturally assuming more day-to-day responsibilities, including shopping. The other factor is that this generation of dads is just naturally more involved in their kids’ lives – and therefore has more of a role in buying products and services for their youngsters. (An article in this Sunday’s New York Times highlighted another indicator of involvement: More men are not only joining their local school PTAs, but in many of the top-rated public schools across New York City, running them.)

Moms, when it comes to purchasing everyday household goods, who wears the pants in your family these days?

Marketers, have you shifted your focus to include dads in your outreach?

When girls stressed by a test talked with their moms, stress hormones dropped and comfort hormones rose, according to a study by the University of Wisconsin. When they used IM, nothing happened.

This research follows an earlier study by the University showing that both phone conversations with mom and face-to-face talks triggered similar hormonal responses: A drop in cortisol, which is generally linked to stress, and a rise in oxytocin, which is linked to pleasure. For the latest study, published in the January issue of Evolution and Human Behavior, they wanted to identify the source of that comforting. Was it something mom said? Was it simply the sound of her voice? What would happen if the tone and verbal cues were deleted and all that was left was the content of the message? What made the difference?

The girls were asked to solve difficult math problems. After finishing, they were assigned to one of four groups. One didn’t talk at all to their mothers, another talked by phone, a third experienced a face-to-face conversation, and another communicated by instant message. The researchers then measured their cortisol and oxytocin levels, and compared them to pre-test measurements.

Girls who heard their mother’s voice, either in person or on the phone, were consoled. But among girls who used IM, hormone levels barely changed. Translated onto a screen, mom’s words seemingly lost their comforting power.

According to Seltzer, the results suggest that mom’s voice — its tones and intonations and rhythms, known formally as prosodics — trigger soothing effects, rather than what she specifically says.

However, it’s also possible that IM altered conversational dynamics. Maybe moms who heard their daughters’ voices were better able to detect stress and respond to it. On a screen, “I’m fine” is a fairly one-dimensional statement. Heard aloud, it can convey something very different.

Moms, how do you help your teens de-stress?

The twin birth rate rose by more than 2% a year, on average, from 1980 through 2004, leveling off briefly that year to less than 1% annually then rising nearly 2% again from 2008 to 2009.

In 2009, twin rates increased in all 50 states, with the most significant jumps in lower New England, New Jersey and Hawaii. In Connecticut, twins now account for nearly 5% of births.

Nationally, 3.3% of all births were twins in 2009, up from 2% in 1980.

The greatest increase in twin rates was for women 40 and older. They are more likely to use fertility treatments and to have two embryos implanted during in vitro fertilization, whereas younger women are more likely to get just one.

About 7% of all births for women 40 and older were twins, compared to 5% of women in their late 30s and 2% of women age 24 or younger.

Rates doubled for whites, rose by half for blacks and by about a third for Hispanics. Historically, black moms have twins most often, but white moms have almost caught up.

Are you a mom of twins? In what way has that influenced your purchasing decisions? Marketers, are any of you focusing on this growing market?

Becoming a mom is a key driver to this online research: The study shows that 73% of women change their purchase criteria and reliance on social media after joining motherhood. “Women have deep sharing habits,” said Tina Sharkey of BabyCenter, who also spoke at the 21st Century Moms session, citing heavy reference to product reviews, articles,  conversations and discussion boards. In fact, moms on average will consult 13.3 sources before actually buying, according to the ZMOT research. Whereas in the past, moms would make purchase decisions within what some marketers call “two moments of truth”–the first”moment” at the store shelf, and the second at home during product trial–today, the path to  purchase is no longer direct, but more like a giant zigzag, which poses new challenges to marketers.

As an example of how the ZMOT applies to a “real” mom, I will share the experience of a member of the Child’s Play Team Mom network. After her husband lost his job, this mom became obsessed with finding the best deals on line via coupon and deal sites. Instead of routinely heading to the nearest mall to buy back-to-school clothes and supplies for her kids, she first made a shopping list, and then went online to scope out the latest styles and best prices. After reading other moms’ reviews of the brands and items she was considering, her choices shifted somewhat. Additional recommendations from moms in her weekly playgroup also had an influence. As she became ready to buy, she printed out store coupons. Then, on the day she was planning a store trip, she discovered special online discounts for a few of the items. I will bet that many of your customers pre-shop in a similar fashion.

Later this week, I’ll talk about how companies can make the most of this Zero Moment of Truth when marketing to moms.

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?

How are moms using Twitter?

Earlier this month, Child’s Play Communications asked that question of our Social Savvy research panel, comprising moms active in the social media space.  We are announcing the results here. The responses, from 317 moms, provide a clear indication of what moms like about Twitter and when and how they prefer to use it. Marketers trying to reach moms via Twitter may want to consider these key findings:

• Moms tweet a lot. The highest percentage — 36.3% of moms — report tweeting 10-20 times a day.
• Midday means more conversation. Most moms indicate that the hours from noon-3 are the most popular for both tweeting (30.5%) and reading others’ tweets (24.8%). 
• Information is queen.  The No. 1 reason most moms tweet (43.2%) is to share information about products for kids and other moms – a fact that should be of considerable interest to companies and agencies alike. This is followed most closely by moms’ wish to interact with other moms (21.8%). The response shifts just slightly when moms are asked why they read other people’s tweets:  While 63.0% do so to get information about products for themselves and their kids, more – 67.5% — read tweets to interact with other moms.
• Moms want to see you tweeting. Asked how they decide whom to follow on Twitter, the vast majority – 78.2% — said they follow companies that interest them. Furthermore, 95.7% of moms who follow those companies do so to find out about new products, discounts and coupons.
• Tweets drive sales. The best news for those marketing to moms is that 73.1% of moms indicate that they actually purchased a product as a result of another mom’s Twitter recommendation.

 Other research questions looked at the types of products purchased following a Twitter recommendation, the popularity of Twitter parties and their impact on purchasing, what moms think of sponsored tweets, and moms’ specific Twitter experiences, positive and negative.

The conclusion: Today’s moms look to Twitter for information in a major way, and smart companies will use the space to reach this important demographic effectively.

Moms, do you agree with the results of the survey? Marketers, what has been your experience reaching moms through Twitter?

Northwestern University researchers followed a large group of men in their 20s and discovered that their testosterone levels fell after they found partners and became fathers. The men studied were 22 when the study began, 26 when it was completed. While testosterone declined in all the men studied — normal, with aging — the largest declines were in married or partnered men with children, compared to men who remained single.

Among men who became fathers during the study, the drop in testosterone levels was about twice as much as among men who remained single. Men with newborns had even lower testosterone levels than those who had slightly older children. And fathers who reported caring for their children 3 or more hours a day had lower testosterone levels than fathers who were not involved in child care.

The conclusion? “It really suggests men are hard-wired to be directly caring for their kids,” said Christopher Kuzawa, study co-author. Lower testosterone levels could help dads better manage the demands of parenting and enable them to become more nurturing.