Parents are experiencing a lot of unexpected situations during their prolonged time at home. That means answering tough questions from their kids on everything from sex to Santa.
These questions aren't tough because of their content, however. A lot of the pressure parents feel to get these talks right is amplified by the fact that you're expected to answer these questions on the spot. In an average kid's life, those questions most likely won't all be directed to one person. Since everyone's currently stuck at home, it's a different story.
A recent study found that parents field 468 difficult questions from their kids every year. Right now, those numbers are seriously rising. This study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Zulily, explored how parents are tackling those tough questions right now. A survey of 200 parents with children ages 2 to 12 found that parents are answering an average of 39 hard-to-answer questions a month right now.
Families are spending a lot of time together right now. That comes with many ups and downs. Parents are fielding a lot of tough questions from their kids right now. Anyone experienced in the parenting thing knows there's no perfect way of handling these kinds of questions.
Despite that, there's a lot of pressure to get these conversations right. We've seen them play out in countless TV shows and movies, but it's a whole different thing when you're the one on the spot. You want to give your kids the right information, and depending on the subject, you're also considering the emotional implications of a conversation.
A survey by OnePoll and Zulily found that on average, parents field 468 difficult questions from their kids annually. The survey talked to 2,000 parents of kids ages 2 to 12. It discussed what questions parents are fielding from their kids. It also got into how those parents are handling their replies.
So which two tough questions are parents fielding the most these days? The questions cover two difficult subjects that all parents will have to broach with their kids at one point or another. "Is Santa real?" comes in at No. 1, with 37% of parents polled saying it has come up.
The second most asked question is one that's nerve-wracking for a lot of parents. "Where do babies come from?" was one that 36% of parents have fielded. Like the Santa question, it's one that each family has a unique approach to based on a number of factors.
So how do parents handle these situations? Of the moms surveyed, 44% admitted to consulting Google before getting back to their kids. In total, 50% of the parents surveyed did the same. There's no shame in getting reinforcements before talking about something big, especially if you feel unsure.
Another subject kids are getting curious about is the environment. "Why do we recycle?" and "What does 'green' mean?" also come up in the top 5 questions parents were asked.
Although these questions are tough, moms are proud their kids are interested. Of the moms, 43% stated they are proud of their kids when they get asked these difficult questions because it shows that kids are deeply interested in the world around them and even more so during these dynamic times.
Zulily merchandise manager Carmela Matthews is a mom of three herself. She applauds parents for how they're doing.
"There is no single parenting guidebook that has all the answers," she noted. "And in today’s complex world, we are seeing more parents wanting to raise children who are curious, conscientious and connected to their communities through their actions and products they buy for their families."
"What’s important, more than ever, is that parents give kids the tools to fuel their inquisitive spirit and to care about the world around them," Carmela continued.
To that end, parents are being more conscientious about the things they buy and the messages those products send to their families. Four in five moms say they've become more concerned about the environmental impacts of their purchases since having kids.
"As a parent, it’s important to me to show my family that small changes can make a huge difference, and that you don’t need to spend a lot to do the right thing. That’s why I choose reusable food containers over single-use plastic, opt for toys made out of recyclable materials, and even line-dry clothes when I can," she continued.
"Kids ask their fair share of difficult questions, but they also ask the best questions and it all starts with one — ‘how can I help?’"
