Survey Reveals Adult Children Overwhelmingly Choose Mom Over Dad

Mother's Day is May 10 and a new national survey reveals if Mother’s Day and Father’s Day fell on the same day, 78 percent of adult children would choose to celebrate Mom over Dad. In fact, 83 percent of those surveyed say they plan to visit their mom on Mother’s Day.

The national survey of 300 men and women was commissioned by Visiting Angels, one of our nation’s largest in-home senior care companies with more than 500 offices throughout the country.

MOM VS. DAD

The men and women who chose Mom over Dad say it’s because:

1.) Mom deserves the attention 2.) They have more in common with Mom 3.) It’s the least they can do after Mom went through with nine months of pregnancy and labor 4.) Mom is their favorite parent and 5.) Mother's Day seems to be a bigger holiday than Father's Day, and they feel obligated to celebrate Mom over Dad.

WHY VISIT MOM ON MOTHER’S DAY?

• 90 percent say they love her and want to spend time with her.

• More than half (59 percent) say because they want to set a good example for their kids.

• Nearly 1 in 4 (22 percent) say they feel obligated to visit Mom on Mother’s Day - and - Mom might give them a guilt trip if they didn’t.

WHOSE MOTHER’S DAY IS IT?

• More than half of women (57 percent) say even though they have kids now, this day is for their mom.

• More than 1 in 3 sons agree. Thirty nine percent say Mother’s Day is for their mom over their wife.

STILL . . . GUILT PREVAILS

Perhaps we make Mother’s Day such a big deal because we don’t feel we do enough for Mom the rest of the year.

• 60 percent admit they sometimes feel guilty about not spending enough time with Mom.

• Yet, more than 1 in 4 (26 percent) say when they do spend time with Mom, after about four hours they get antsy.

WHAT’S SO STRESSFUL ABOUT MOTHER’S DAY?

More than 1 in 4 (26 percent) say Mother’s Day has caused stress - and - nearly 1 in 4 (23 percent) say they have had conflict over Mother’s Day plans.

• The majority of the conflict (57 percent) is about WHERE to spend Mother’s Day (ie: their mom’s house, their house, a restaurant, etc.)

• About 1 in 4 women (21 percent) say they’re moms now, and they wish the day could just be about them.

• More than 1 in 3 men (30 percent) say they’re torn between celebrating their wife and their mother.

• More than 1 in 4 (28 percent) say with the modern family, there are too many moms to please  (wife, mom, stepmom, etc.)

ARE WE GIVING GIFTS MOM WANTS?

Mother’s Day has become one of the biggest holidays for consumer spending. This year experts predict spending will top more than $20 billion! The Visiting Angels survey found the majority of adult children spend a total of $51-$100 on Mother’s Day gifts.

What gifts do adult children plan to give Mom this year?

• Top gift: a card

• Second: flowers

• Equally tied for third: phone call, dinner out or quality time with them and the children

When moms were asked what they REALLY want for Mother’s Day, they said:

• Equally tied for the top gift: a card and dinner out

• Equally tied for 2nd: homemade gifts and “my kids are so busy, I’d rather have quality time with my family than any gift.”

• Equally tied for 3rd: spa, flowers, phone call

Turns out, Mom is getting a gift she really wants. Studies show more phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. And, sorry Dads, more than three in four (77 percent) adult children say they would rather talk to Mom on the phone. But they agree that she could be a better listener.

“It’s no surprise the survey reveals adult children adore their moms and want to make a big deal for Mother’s Day because they don’t get as much time with their aging parents as they would like,” said Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting Angels, one of our nation’s largest in home senior care companies, with an office in our area. “On Mother’s Day and every day, our caregivers go into seniors’ homes to provide companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation and transportation. When you can’t be there for Mom, we’re here to help.”

(Source: Stacey Hilton)