Kids Say the Darndest Things . . . About Mom

National Survey Reveals Kids Thoughts on Mom’s Advice and More

(ARA) - Listen up, Moms, there’s good news this Mother’s Day: Your words of wisdom aren’t going in one ear and out the other. According to a national survey, kids value their moms’ advice and realize they need to say “thanks” more often.

This spring, Cheerios asked more than 3,000 kids ages 6 to14 for their opinions on what makes a great mom and what role their mom plays in their lives, especially when it comes to a kid’s daily achievements.

According to the survey, 76 percent of kids say their mom gives them the best advice. While this result may surprise parents, Dr. Martha Farrell Erickson, director of the Children, Youth and Family Consortium at the University of Minnesota, reports similar findings.

“Kids don’t often tell their parents directly they appreciate their advice, but when other people ask children, they often do say this,” says Erickson. “I think that’s an important reality; children depend on their parents, especially their mothers, for the best guidance and advice.”

When it comes to showing appreciation for mom, the survey found that while 46 percent of kids say they always say “thanks” to their mom for her help, an overwhelming majority of kids (85 percent) believe they should thank their moms more than they do.

Recipe for a Great Mom

In the Cheerios survey, kids were asked to select characteristics of a great mom. According to the respondents, the top three characteristics of a great mom are supportive (74 percent), understanding (73 percent) and inspiring (34 percent). Funny (30 percent) and giving (30 percent) also ranked a close fourth and fifth.

Three out of four kids said a mom’s most important responsibilities are: making time for her family (27 percent); preparing her kids for the future (26 percent); and listening and talking to her kids (23 percent).

When asked what their mom does specifically for them, kids rated love, help and encouragement almost evenly across the board. More than one-third of kids (35 percent) chose “she loves and protects me,” while nearly another third (32 percent) selected “she helps me when I need her and is there for me.” And 20 percent said mom encourages them to succeed.

Renae Luedtke from Minneapolis, who is a mother of four, believes this is an important role. “The most gratifying feeling a mother could have is knowing her kids understand all of her efforts over the years to give them success in life. I would feel so proud if they knew I was an influence.”

The Cheerios survey found that a mom’s support and encouragement plays an important role in kids’ achievements. For 37 percent of the kids surveyed, support and encouragement from their moms was cited as the number one way their mom helps them succeed each day. More than one-fourth of kids (27 percent) selected “she believes in me,” while 20 percent chose “helps with homework and projects” as most important to their daily success.

Mom Deserves a Day Off

Kids recognize that a mother’s work is never done. When asked to select the hardest thing about being a mom, 36 percent of kids chose keeping up with all the stuff she has to do as number one. Taking care of the entire family (26 percent) and putting up with me (24 percent) ranked second and third, while getting enough sleep was fourth with 14 percent of the responses.

With Mother’s Day around the corner, kids have an opportunity to show their appreciation to their moms. And when it comes to thanking moms, these insightful youngsters know that mom’s “wish list” includes more time to herself. When asked what they will do for their mom on Mother’s Day, 32 percent of kids said they will let her relax and will offer to help around the house, while 25 percent said they will make her a card or gift. The other top answers included trying to be good all day (18 percent) and making her breakfast in bed (16 percent).

Courtesy of ARA Content

EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information, contact Tom Johnson, General Mills, (763) 764-2531, Tom.Johnson3@genmills.com or Peggy Snook, Weber Shandwick, (952) 346-6362, psnook@webershandwick.com.

Cheerios commissioned a national kids survey in April 2003 to learn more about moms and the important role they play in kids’ lives. The survey was conducted online by Neopets Atomic Hotdog and polled a random sample of 3,254 kids ages 6 to14 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent. The survey asked kids to select, among a series of statements, those that best answered a series of questions about their moms. For complete survey results or questions, please contact Tom Johnson, General Mills, (763) 764-2531.

About Cheerios

Cheerios has been listening to kids and moms for more than 60 years. Moms know Cheerios is a healthy way to start their family’s day, and according to the survey, kids agree. One-third of the respondents believe mom likes to serve her kids Cheerios because a nutritious breakfast starts their day out right.

In the 1930s, moms told General Mills that they had trouble getting their children to eat cooked oatmeal. The company provided moms with a solution that would provide all the nutrition of whole-grain oats in a fun shape and a taste kids love by creating Cheeri Oats, which later became Cheerios. Cheerios, the first ready-to-eat oat cereal, was introduced in 1941 to give moms a nutritious, yet kid-friendly alternative to oatmeal. Today, Cheerios is the number one breakfast cereal and one of the most trusted and recognized brands in America. In fact, one of every 10 boxes of cereal sold in America is a box of Cheerios.