Evenflo ‘Savvy Parents’ Survey Reveals Moms and Dads Build Baby’s Brain in Different Ways

MIAMISBURG, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Top of mind for so many new parents is how their babies’ own minds are developing. Surprisingly, according to the latest Evenflo® “Savvy Parents Survey,” moms and dads have different approaches to teaching their little ones: 84% of mothers read to their children, while 58% of fathers buy developmental toys. Stimulating their children’s minds also plays a key role in the lives of busy, multitasking parents: When trying to keep an active baby busy, 47% of dads put baby in an activity center, while 66% turn on a DVD, and a full 62% of parents try their child’s favorite toy. On the flip side, encouraging their baby to nap does not rank high as a preferred method of busy parents, with just 32% resorting to it.

Some of the survey’s other findings reveal real differences between how moms and dads experience the joys of parenting – on everything from play dates to stress to sex.

Parental Pet Peeves

When it comes to annoyances, moms and dads differ on what gets under their skin: 73% of moms but only 30% of dads say the most annoying thing about play dates with other parents’ kids is when the other child misbehaves and his/her parent does nothing. Meanwhile, 44% of dads dislike when other parents brag about how brilliant their children are (compared with only 16% of moms), and nearly a quarter of dads (23%) find it tasteless when parents brag about what a good parent they are (compared with a mere 6% of moms).

Calm, Cool, & Collected? Depends on Who You Ask

When it comes to how much they worry about their baby meeting the proper developmental milestones, 64% of moms describe themselves as “calm, cool and collected,” compared with 43% of dads. But watch out, Woody Allen: Dads are more inclined to describe themselves as neurotic (12%), when compared to 1% of moms.

Roll-in-the-Sack Race

It’s no secret that sex often takes a back seat to baby in the early months of parenthood, but who’s telling the truth here? Of new parents, 47% of moms say they have less sex now than before they had kids, as compared with only 20% of dads. And parents have creative tactics for getting a little one-on-one time in with baby in the house: 46% have sex at different times of the day, while 41% say quickies are king. A quarter of parents say they are thankful for baby naptime, which affords them amorous, albeit more hurried, opportunities.

Brainy Babies

When asked to assess baby’s advances, 51% of parents surveyed said their child’s developmental progress was “above the average baby.” How do parents gauge their child’s development? Some 65% consult with their pediatrician, while 45% turn to books and/or the Internet, and 41% say they compare their kids to others the same age. When it comes to intelligence, 56% of moms think their baby takes after them – and 52% of dads agree.

The Evenflo Savvy Parents Survey is the second installment in a series of polls Evenflo is conducting to gauge the feelings of today’s moms and dads around everyday parenting dilemmas. The surveys are part of the “The Savvy Parents Guide” from Evenflo, an online destination aimed at providing education, resources and a sense of community for parents in the know.

The guide is anchored by a series of webisodes which take a whimsical look at the challenges parents face. Go to http://www.evenflo.com/exersaucer.aspx to view the recent series themed around child development. These webisodes support the launch of the new Evenflo ExerSaucer® Jump & Learn™ and Double Fun™ activity centers designed with new shapes, colors and textures that engage a baby’s senses, spark their imagination and encourage them to interact with others. Evenflo ExerSaucers are inspired and designed through a partnership with the Child Development Institute, whose mission is to provide parents with comprehensive information that will enable them to support their child during learning and development.

For the socially savvy parents out there, join the Evenflo community by clicking ‘Like’ on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EvenfloBaby) or follow them on Twitter (http://twitter.com/evenflobaby).

About the Evenflo “Savvy Parents Survey”

The survey was conducted among 500 representative Americans ages 18+ who had children under the age of 18 months. The interviews were conducted online by Redshift Research between 11th and 15th of November, 2010 using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.38 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

About Evenflo

Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, Evenflo Company, Inc. is a privately-held leading manufacturer and marketer of infant and juvenile products. Evenflo was founded in 1920 and is a top supplier of infant and juvenile products to key retailers such as Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us, Wal-Mart, Target, and K-Mart. The company’s product offering spans a broad range of essential infant and juvenile product categories, including car seats, baby travel systems, infant and toddler feeding, infant carriers, stationary activity centers and home safety products. Evenflo’s premier brand name has 97 percent awareness with new mothers, and the company enjoys #1 or #2 market share positions in 10 important product categories. For more information on Evenflo, visit www.evenflo.com.

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EvenfloBaby

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6542288&lang=en