Here’s What Grandparents Plan to Do After the Pandemic

by Karly WoodMay 20, 2021

The pandemic left everyone missing family and friends, and none more so than grandparents. New research from Motel 6 has some interesting data on what the older generation plans on doing once it’s safe to travel again.

The survey was conducted via SWNS Media Group online among 2,000 U.S. grandparents. It found that most grandparents haven’t seen their grandchildren in person for over seven and a half months, with 59% spending less time in general as a result of the pandemic. What else did the survey find?

photo: Motel 6

Once it’s safe to travel again, 56% of grandparents said their first trip will be to see their grandkids, with almost half of those already in the planning stages. Forty two percent also reported they’ve had a grandchild born since the start of the pandemic.

Despite the challenges of the last year, 59% of grandparents plan to spend more time with their grandchildren than ever before in the future.

As more and more Americans feel ready to travel again, we are thrilled to be able to take part in some of these much-needed family reunions,” said Rob Palleschi, CEO of G6 Hospitality. “We will continue to leave the light on for all guests, whether that be grandparents staying with Motel 6 on the way to visit family or as a way to socially distance and remain safe for upcoming family visits.”

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: iStock

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Are Parents Good at Teaching Their Kids Financial Literacy? New Survey Has Answers

by Karly WoodMay 7, 2021

Parents wear many hats and it can be difficult to make sure we’re raising our kids with all the necessary life skills. A new survey from the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) is shedding light on a very specific life lesson that is key to raising independent adults: financial literacy.

Using over 1,000 respondents, the survey asked the question “Which parent taught you the most about money and personal finance?” The overwhelming answer? “Neither.”

photo: Pexels

While respondents did say that their mother was more likely to teach financial literacy than their father (23.7 percent over 22.6 percent), it’s clear that the majority has grown up with little to no instruction on finances.

The study grouped respondents into age groups that included 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, and 65+ years old. Interestingly, the two youngest groups, 18-24 and 25-34, reported “Neither” more than all other age groups making this issue a relevant topic for today’s parents.

“It’s essential for parents to make a conscious and consistent effort to discuss finances, model good financial decision-making, and provide opportunities for kids to practice earning, budgeting, saving, and spending, especially while they still have the safety net of living at home and receiving family support,” says Vince Shorb, NFEC CEO.

So how can you make sure your kiddos are prepared financially as they become adults? One of the main goals of the NFEC is to encourage and provide tools for parents to teach financial literacy skills to their children from an early age. You can head to their website for tons of info.

You can view the full survey results here.

––Karly Wood

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Mother’s Day Flowers? These Are the Most Popular Picks

by Erica LoopApril 30, 2021

What do moms really want for Mother’s Day? Breck’s recently tried to answer this question with a two-part study that included an analysis of Google Trends search volumes and a survey of 700 mamas across the country.

The first part of the study looked specifically at the types of flowers googled in the week leading up to Mother’s Day in each state over the past five years. It’s no surprise that the iconic rose scored the top spot—with more searches than other flowers in a whopping 18 states.

photo: RF Studios via Pexels

Second place went to three different flowers: Gardenias, cyclamen, and poppies. Other highly-searched flowers across the country included crocuses (the most popular in Hawaii and Kansas) and tulips (the winner in Michigan and Indiana).

The 700-mom survey reflected the search trends, with more than 60 percent of mamas saying they would want to get roses for Mother’s Day. Forty-six percent of participants wanted tulips and 40 percent wanted lilies.

Along with flower choices, Breck’s survey also looked at Mother’s Day spending. The average gift for mom tops $67. Fifty-six percent of moms picked gardening wares as a top gift choice, 52 percent would choose food or wine, and 49 percent want clothing, jewelry, or accessories!

—Erica Loop

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New Survey Shows How the Pandemic Changed Parenting

New Survey Shows How the Pandemic Changed Parenting

by Erica LoopApril 27, 2021

How has parenting changed in the last year? More specifically, how have parents changed? Millie Moon Luxury Diapers recently tapped OnePoll to conduct a survey of 2,000 millennial parents—and the results may surprise you!

It’s probably not a shock to many parents that the events of 2020 changes plenty of attitudes towards just about everything. Between the sudden, drawn-out together-time families found themselves in, working from home, schooling from home and doing everything else from home, parenting has had to change in the past year.

photo courtesy of Millie Moon

The survey found that four out of five moms and dads surveyed felt 2020 made them completely reevaluate their parenting. Seventy-two percent said the pandemic helped them to show more compassion as parents and 73 percent began prioritizing the smaller moments they could share with their kiddos.

When it comes to work, more than 40 percent of parents put less of an emphasis on their jobs. This extra time reportedly had a major affect on the littles, according to the parents surveyed. Seventy-six percent of parents also discovered new ways to connect with their kids!

The increased emphasis on connecting with the kiddos may make you wonder how parents are spending more time with their families. The survey found that nearly half of parents say story-time is a bonding moment. With that in mind, Millie Moon is donating a portion of the proceeds from the brand’s new Luxury Diaper line to the national early literacy nonprofit, Reach Out and Read. Nab these luxe diapers and wipes exclusively at Target!

—Erica Loop

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Marie Kondo Is Now a Boy-Mom As She Welcomes New Baby

by Erica LoopApril 23, 2021

Marie Kondo recently announced the birth of her third baby! The organizer extraordinaire posted a sweet pic on Instagram of one of her daughters holding the newborn.

Her upcoming Netflix show isn’t the only think “sparking joy” in Kondo’s life right now. The Tidying Up and soon-to-be Sparking Joy star is now a boy-mom.

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A post shared by Marie Kondo (@mariekondo)

Kondo captioned her IG post, “It’s a boy! I am over the moon to welcome this bundle of joy into our family.” She added, “We are all doing well. Now comes the fun part—spending this special time with our little guy.”

This is the first boy for Kondo and her husband Takumi Kawahara. The couple are already parents to daughters Satsuki and Miko.

The new mama-times-three first revealed her pregnancy earlier this year, posting, “I have some news! Another bundle of joy on the way” along with a baby bump photo on IG. Congrats go out to Kondo, her husband, and her two new big sibs!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Shutterstock

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The Online Parental Controls You Didn’t Know Existed

by Jamie AderskiApril 15, 2021

More than ever before, there is so much tech in our hands and our homes. It’s pretty cool to have the world at your fingertips, but with that comes extra responsibility, especially when it comes to our kids and tech. Not sure where to start? Google, our favorite search engine, has our back yet again! They’ve put together this informative hub with articles containing simple instructions on keeping in control of your kids’ online experience. Check out these five excellent online parental controls. Looking for more? Explore the Parental Controls section of the new Google Families hub.

1. Parental Controls on Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch is a massive hit with kids of all ages, but did you know there’s a Parental Controls app for the Switch? Game changer! You can set play-time limits, learn how to turn off voice chat on the Switch system and turn off other social features. You can also learn how to limit mature content, which will prevent kids from playing mature-rated games. Wondering how your kid got that new game on their Switch and then you get the credit card bill? Not to worry, you can learn how to restrict Nintendo eShop purchases and block spending and auto-renewals on both the Nintendo eShop and on Nintendo.com.

Explore more at families.google

2. Google Family Link

No matter your child's age, it's important to establish your family's rules for the digital playground. Google's Family Link app helps parents establish boundaries and healthy internet habits with their families, so kids can safely explore with technology. This free app gives parents all kinds of additional controls for their kid's Android and Chromebook devices—setting screen or app limits, viewing where they're spending their time online, blocking or allowing apps, seeing where their device is currently located and even remotely locking a device when it's time to take a break!

Explore more at families.google

3. Parental Controls on Netflix

Some may argue that Netflix is the best thing since sliced bread, and we agree. With so many choices for all ages and interests, it’s a goldmine of entertainment. Create a password for each kid. Now they can only access their account, and you set controls as you see fit. You can then enable the Netflix Kids experience, limiting what they can view based on age and even adding title restrictions.

Explore more at families.google

4. Apple's Screen Time

Too much of a good thing? You have the power to set time limits on Apple devices too! Just go into Settings > Screen Time and select your child's device to get reports on what apps they're using and how often they're using them. Once you set your passcode, you can set limits for downtime (so necessary!), how long apps can be used, which contacts your kids can get in touch with and even block content, purchases and downloads.

Explore more at families.google

5. Parental Controls on Amazon Echo

Kids love asking Alexa about all kinds of things, and we agree, it's pretty fun. But don't forget to set some limits with your robot pal. It's easy! Enable the Amazon Kids Settings in your Alexa app. Once you've added it, you can manage the settings either through the app or by logging in to your Amazon account and going to your Parent Dashboard.

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—Jamie Aderski

Here’s Why Families Are Dancing in Their Kitchens

by Erica LoopApril 8, 2021

In-home discos are the new way to celebrate! According to stats from L.O.L. Surprise!, 65 percent of American households are staging impromptu dance parties in their kitchens.

L.O.L. Surprise is celebrating its new Dance Dance Dance toy line with a few fun facts about family dance parties. Along with the number of fams turning their eating areas into makeshift discos, the brand’s survey also found that 42 percent of kiddos think dad’s dances are totally embarrassing—but only 37 percent believe mom’s moves are equally as bad.

photo courtesy of MGA Entertainment

Isaac Larian, CEO and Founder of MGA Entertainment, conducted the research as part of the L.O.L. Surprise! Dance Dance Dance toy launch, said in a press release, “Dancing is always something that has brought people together from around the globe. We love that our toys have inspired our fans, parents and children, to find escape and joy together in kitchen disco parties, and that they have embraced dance as a way to connect no matter what is happening in the world around them.”

When it comes to the time and the tunes, the survey stats show that Saturday at 6:00 pm and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” are the most popular picks. Following Queen’s iconic anthem are Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” and Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

So what’s with all the dance parties? The data shows spending time together and the mood boosting effects of dance may have more than just something to do with the sudden uptick in at-home disco activities. Two-thirds of parents surveyed reported that dancing with their littles lifted their spirits and 82 percent said it always improves their mood. Fifty-five percent of parents also said they use family dance parties to let off some steam.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: gradyreese via iStock

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Survey Says: Kids Are Cleaning More Than Ever

by Erica LoopMarch 27, 2021

Are your kiddos helping out around the house more than ever? It’s no secret that the pandemic put most families into hyper-drive when it comes to overall cleanliness. Now there’s data to back up what you’ve suspected over the past year-plus.

According to a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of SC Johnson, more than half of Americans believe the pandemic has had a positive effect on their cleaning habits. Beyond that, the data shows families are cleaning together more than they were in the pre-pandemic days.

photo: Burst via Pexels

The survey, conducted between Feb. 10, 2021 and Feb. 16, 2021, included 2,000 adult participants aged 18 and up. The findings show Americans are now spending more time than ever cleaning their homes, which equates to an average of six hours weekly!

Alan VanderMolen, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at SC Johnson, said in a press release, “At SC Johnson, our goal is to create a healthier world by educating and enabling people on cleaning and hygiene so that they can respond to this pandemic and future public health threats.” VanderMolen added, “We are encouraged to see families are working together to improve and maintain their cleaning habits because healthier homes create healthier communities and a better world.”

Not only are they spending more time cleaning, American adults are also more satisfied with the cleanliness of their home. The poll shows a whopping nine out of 10 of people surveyed feel their efforts have paid off in cleanliness.

When it comes to kids and cleaning, 44 percent of parents say their kiddos help more to clean now than they did before the pandemic. Seventy-one percent of these parents also expect their children to keep up the cleaning efforts from now on!

—Erica Loop

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The Hot Wheels Legends Tour Is Racing Into 2021

by Erica LoopMarch 25, 2021

The Hot Wheels Legends Tour is back! Now in its fourth year, the 2021 tour will kick off with virtual events and eventually expand into in-person awesomeness.

Presented by Mobil 1, the Hot Wheel Legends Tour is open for fan submissions. This means fans will get their chance to enter their cool cars to become the next 1:64 die-cast toy model.

photo courtesy of Hot Wheels

Ted Wu, Global Head of Hot Wheels Design at Mattel, said in a press release, “Finding time to build isn’t always easy, but with many spending more time at home in the garage over the past year, we expect to see so many more passion-project submissions for the 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour.”

The 2021 tour will include regional winners and a Mobil 1 Fan Favorite. These cars are entered into the semi-finals—with 10 finalists chosen. Hot Wheels will reveal the champion in November at the tour’s grand finale event.

Events will span the globe, with live and virtual tour stops starting this spring in New Zealand (Apr. 15), Australia (Apr. 22) and the United States and Canada (Apr. 29). Visit the Hot Wheels Legends Tour website for more information.

—Erica Loop

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These Top 10 Vrbo Rentals Are Going for Just $20 a Night

by Erica LoopMarch 20, 2021

Vrbo and Netflix want to give your kids a “yes day.” In celebration of the film Yes Day’s debut on the streaming service, the vaycay rental company is giving families the chance to live out their dreams through “Yes Day Stays.”

What exactly are “Yes Day Stays?” These perfect-for-the-family vacation properties have everything your kiddo come want—and so much more.

The 10 vacation homes included in this promotion typically rent for up to $1,000 per night. If that seems steep, don’t stress. “Yes Day Stays” are available for the awesomely affordable price of $20 per night.

Lish Kennedy, vice president of global brand marketing at Vrbo, said in a press release, “Nothing is more important and special than spending quality time with family, having fun and making memories together.” Kennedy continued, “We hand-picked some of the coolest vacation homes for Yes Day Stays to make sure kids can have the most unforgettable Yes Day with their families.”

These completely cool vacation properties include amenities such as water slides, decked out pools, a bowling alley, indoor slides, games rooms, entertainment centers and even a mini golf course.

Booking for “Yes Day Stays” starts on Vrbo on Mar. 19, 2021 at 12 p.m. CT for weekend stays starting in April. All homes are available on a first come first serve basis. Check the local travel restrictions before booking your “Yes Day Stay.” To preview the homes, visit Vrbo’s website here.

—Erica Loop

All photos: Courtesy of Vrbo

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