PTPA Media survey finds the pandemic is taking a serious toll on North America families

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA, December 18, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- After nine months of COVID-related coping, North American mothers are feeling isolated, anxious and sleep-deprived. But they're not letting it show.

In a year-end survey conducted in late November by Toronto-based PTPA Media, 32% of moms in PTPA’s parent community across the United States and Canada say they feel isolated or alone, all or most of the time. Another 40% say they feel isolated and alone “some of the time.”

Just over 50% of parents say they feel “nervous, anxious or on edge” most days. And 35% feel “down, depressed or hopeless,” most or all of the time.

But today’s mothers are showing remarkable resilience. When PTPA asked how they feel about life as a whole, 46% said they feel “well”, and 10% more said “very well.” Just 15% say they feel “poorly” or “very poorly” about life.

“The results from our ‘Rediscover Happy’ survey seem contradictory, but they make total sense to me,” says PTPA Media CEO Sharon Vinderine. “Parents are accustomed to problems and doubts. But as the family’s Chief Morale Officer, they have to set their fears aside. Optimism is an essential coping mechanism – because if Mom goes down, all is lost.”

“We hope this survey will help governments and businesses better understand what parents are going through, and help them find new ways to meet families’ changing needs.”

Such actions, says Vinderine, could include creating more ways for families to interact or share, new ideas for crafts, games and other pastimes, or offering more value in their products and services for families coping with reduced incomes.

PTPA Media is a parent community in the U.S. and Canada that reviews brands and products to award its certification as “Parent Tested, Parent Approved.” PTPA’s 200,000 members – most of them moms – earn points for product testing, blogging, and participating in contests.

In late November, PTPA surveyed its members to discover how they’re feeling – and coping. The findings are based on 1,984 responses.

The survey finds parents dealing with multiple issues.
• More than half of respondents (56%) say their income has been affected by the pandemic.
• 72% of parents say they’re not getting enough sleep. (About 41% sleep five hours or less per night.)
• 39% find it hard to stay connected with friends and extended family.

PTPA asked parents what coping methods they’re using to get through COVID. Their responses: baking (54%), streaming apps such as Netflix. Amazon and Hulu (47%), crafts and craft supplies (42%), puzzles (31%), board games (30%), and sleep aids (24%).

In descending order, these are some of the brands that families say are getting them through:

• Board games: Monopoly, Scrabble, Uno, Clue;
• Wellness apps: Calm, Fitbit, Headspace
• Subscription boxes: Ipsy, Fab Fit Fun, Boxycharm
• Sleep Aids: Melatonin, over-the-counter remedies.
• Food Delivery Apps: Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, Skip the Dishes

Despite their stress, parents still put safety first. Some 25% of PTPA parents say they’ve taken a COVID test. 86% say they wear a mask everywhere they go. Just 2.4% claim to rarely wear a mask, and 1% say “Never.”

Finally, the pandemic has given new meaning to the phrase “stay-at-home moms.” Asked “How often do you go out?”, 39% said “once a week,” and 11% said never.

“Much of the burden of COVID has fallen on parents,” says Vinderine. “They’re taking care of themselves, investing in their health, and prioritizing quality family time. But parents can’t do all this alone.”

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For more information or full statistics, contact Sharon Vinderine at PTPA Media (add phone and email address).

Background information:
PTPA Media emailed its “Rediscover Happy” survey to a subset of members between Nov. Xx and xx, 2020. 1,984 responses were received. Geographically, 64.5% of responses came from the United States, and 35.5% from Canada.
Respondent household sizes: two people 12%; three people 22%; four people 34%; five or more, 27%. 81% of respondents said their households include children under the age of 15.
Regarding schooling, 47% said their children are enrolled full-time in virtual studies, while 27% are attending in-class. 26% of respondents said their children are learning both online and in-class.
31% of respondents say they are currently working from home.

Sharon Vinderine
PTPA Media Inc.
+1 8557050800
email us here