Life under COVID-19 has been tough for all Americans, but especially hard on American parents. Juggling finances, work from home and unemployment, and staying healthy has been a challenge for most, but parents have the added challenges of keeping their children healthy, fed, educated, and socially engaged. In fact, over the past three months of tracking, we see that half (50%) of parents are concerned about their children’s education and socialization (43%). For two-thirds of these parents (64%), their children’s education is on of the top three stressors in their life right now.
I think there is just a lot of low level of anxiety all the time because you’re worried about family members getting sick, or us getting sick, or when the school is going to start again, or how is this emotionally affecting my kids. I’d say there is just kind of this anxiety and just frustration. – Parent
So how are parents coping? Here are three key strategies they are employing and how your brand can cater to them during the pandemic and beyond.
1. Parents are picking and choosing their battles
Most parents of kids under 18 are Millennials or young Gen Xers. This age cohort tends to feed their households better than older generations, having moved toward more natural and healthier foods. They are prime drivers of the enormous growth in natural products over the past decade.
But for now, parents are relaxing some of these standards. Relative to households without kids, parents report eating more sugar, carbohydrates, and saturated fats than they were before the pandemic began. They are also eating more protein, fresh fruits, and vegetables, but their relaxed requirements around sugar, carbs, and fats shows that families are craving comfort food these days.
Additionally, with most family members spending the majority of their time at home, parents need to serve a lot more meals. While parents still want their families to eat healthy, they need convenient options. Households with kids are significantly more likely to be eating more restaurant takeout / delivery meals (24% of them report eating more) and to be relying on more prepackaged convenience foods (17% report doing this more than pre-COVID), and to be using meal kits (15% are doing this more).
Especially since it appears we will be under social distancing, possibly with home-learning, for an extended period of time, brands and restaurants have a big opportunity to help health-conscious consumers satisfy their comfort food needs without compromising their food goals. What can you offer for kids that is healthy (meeting parent standards), but so kid-friendly, delicious, and fun that it’s easy for mom and dad to offer it? How can you create convenience that is specifically designed with the whole family in mind?
2. Parents are seeking more entertainment
Social distancing has curbed access to a wide variety of activities families normally enjoy. As a result, busy parents are hunting hard and being creative to find entertainment and activities to keep kids busy and to distract the mind from the stresses of these times. Although overall spending on entertainment, dining out, and travel are down considerably, those who are still buying in these categories are more likely to be families.
- Households with kids report spending more than they did pre-pandemic on entertainment for adults (40% spending more) and for kids (43% spending more than they used to)
- While travel has declined significantly for all Americans, household with kids are 2.5 times more likely to say they are sending more on travel than households with no children
- While restaurant dine-in has significantly curtailed, families with kids are twice as likely to say they are spending more on dining out (18%)
The stress of taking care of children and keeping them entertained and engaged when so many normal activities are curtailed has parents looking for new solutions and taking more risks than non-parents on eating out and travel. What can your company offer, either virtually or IRL, that is engaging for the whole family and that offers a refreshing change of pace?
3. Parents are seeking stress relief
In the midst of all the stress from the pandemic, parents are doing what they can to keep it together. Over half report they are trying to eat healthier and 80% report they are exercising more.
At the same time, parents are looking to ingredients to help them relax, sleep, and/or escape from stresses of the day. Relative to households without kids, parents are more likely to:
- Have taken THC-free CBD for stress relief or anxiety (18%)
- Have smoked or used tobacco (23%)
- Have consumed alcohol (34%)
- Used cannabis (11% in states where it is medically or recreationally legal)
Of those using these substances, those in households with kids report a more dramatic increase than those in households without kids.
Long story short, parents are trying to strike a good balance during these challenging times. The demands of the day are great, and they seek relaxation and calm wherever they can. As one mom put it:
We are trying to exercise a lot. My husband and I are both keeping track on our Apple watches and trying to hit our fitness goals. The physical activity has been really important for my mental health. We’re trying to eat healthy as well. My husband and I are definitely having a drink more in the evening than we were pre-COVID. There is that level of anxiety, so it’s nice to have a glass of wine. I think sometimes I feel like the exercise during the day is just slightly counteracting some of the unhealthier kind of coping mechanisms.
Given the level of stress parents are under, what can your brand do to bring appropriate levity or helpful solutions during this trying time?
During this pandemic, family needs and behaviors have changed substantially. Brands that are able to pivot to address these needs have substantial opportunities to grow their base of loyal fans with solutions that help families eat healthy, stay entertained, and provide a respite from the stress of our times.
Linkage Research