TODAY.com/Parenting.com Survey Reveals Shocking Mom Secrets: 45% Would Rather Be Thinner Than Have Smarter Kids

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Moms share all in a new survey from TODAY.com, the online home of America's No. 1 morning program, and Parenting.com, the website of Parenting and Babytalk magazines, who today released the results of a joint "Mom Confessions" study which asked moms to divulge the secrets they definitely wouldn't share on the playground. From why they judge each other to what they would change if they could have a "do-over" and how they really keep their kids in line, more than 26,000 moms got real with their responses.

According to TODAY Moms senior editor Rebecca Dube, "The revelations we uncovered in our survey should put a stake through the heart of the myth of the perfect mother. Moms everywhere are overwhelmed and they often feel like they're the only ones – but our findings show that they're not; everyone shares the same challenges. Whatever your mom confession is, someone out there is in the same boat – and talking about it makes moms feel a lot better!" 

Highlights from the TODAY Moms (http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/08/09/7318658-whats-your-deepest-darkest-secret-moms-confess-in-our-survey) and Parenting.com (http://www.parenting.com/gallery/mom-confessions) "Mom Confessions" survey, which kicks off a series of editorial collaborations between TODAY.com and Parenting.com, include:

NEARLY 3 OUT OF 4 MOMS WANT A DO-OVER:

• If given the chance, 23% of moms would choose a different spouse/partner and 21% would have more children.
• Out of the moms who ever wished their child was the opposite sex, nearly two-thirds are moms of boys. 

WOULD YOU RATHER? THE MOMMY VERSION

• Weight versus smarts:  45% of moms would choose to weigh 15 pounds less rather than add 15 points to their child's IQ.
• Money versus time: 42% would prefer to get a 50% raise at work than have 50% more time to spend with their kids. 
• Sex versus sleep: 53% would choose a night of uninterrupted sleep over a night of mind-blowing sex.

DESPERATE MOM MEASURES:     

• Nearly 1 in 5 moms confessed to medicating their child to calm him/her down before a big trip – and nearly 1 in 12 do so on a regular night just for some peace and quiet.
• 49% have knowingly sent a sick child to daycare or school.

EVERYONE'S A CRITIC: 87% OF MOMS JUDGE EACH OTHER

• More than 1 in 3 admits to judging moms of overweight kids.
• 43% judge moms who still breastfeed their toddlers.   

"Moms are so often idealized as superwomen, a role that comes with a tremendous amount of pressure and feelings of 'everyone is getting it right but me,'" said Rachel Fishman Feddersen, director, digital content, strategy, and design for Parenting.com.  "The survey provided moms with a private, anonymous forum to tackle these issues, allowing them to dish on what it's really like to raise a family today."      

To receive more information, or to speak with an editor from TODAY.com or Parenting.com, please contact Gina Stikes, Gina.Stikes@msnbc.com, or Victoria Livadas, Victoria.Livadas@bonniercorp.com.

Methodology

This survey was hosted on TODAY Moms and Parenting.com between June 13 and 20, 2011.  A total of 26,138 mothers participated in the study.  

About TODAY.com

TODAY.com is the online home for America's No. 1 morning program.  TODAY.com is the first stop for consumers interested in news, advice and lifestyle information of all kinds.  In addition to interviews and tips from NBC's TODAY, the site offers a behind-the-scenes blog and regular expert columns on everything from food and fashion and parenting and relationships.  TODAY.com also offers original web-only reporting and interactive features to help make sense of the latest news and trends. TODAY.com. Don't miss a moment.

TODAY Moms is the mom blog of the TODAY show, where moms come to learn, share and discuss the hottest parenting news and issues that matter most to them. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter, too.

About The Parenting Group

The Parenting Group, home of the Parenting, Babytalk and Conceive brands, reaches moms over 15 million times every month through magazines, digital media, custom content, and events. TPG's publications include: Parenting School Years, for moms with children in kindergarten through elementary school; Parenting Early Years, for moms of infants, toddlers and preschoolers; and Babytalk, for new moms and moms-to-be. TPG's other media properties include: Conceive, for women trying to get pregnant, the Babytalk Pregnancy Planner; the Parenting.com and ConceiveOnline.com web sites; MomConnection®, a nationally-representative online research network; and a custom content unit. The Parenting Group is a division of Bonnier Corporation.

Gina Stikes, msnbc.com:
212-664-7403


Victoria Livadas, Parenting.com:
212-779-5312