It's so secret that many moms control much of the household spending.

Now that smartphones have become ubiquitous, moms have become a "shopping force" and retailers and marketers are taking notice, according to this Washington Post article.

From Procter & Gamble to AT&T and Pandora, firms are taking notice that mothers, newly armed with smartphones, are becoming a new kind of shopping force online. A decade ago, these women were single and childless 18- to 34-year-olds who captured the hearts of Madison Avenue marketing executives with their voracious consumer appetites. Now, they are older and often in charge of the household wallet.

Moms are the fastest-growing buyers of iPhones, and they are tuning in more frequently and for longer periods than any other group on media Web sites such as Pandora, a streaming music service. Nielsen Research says mothers are far more likely to share photos and news stories on Facebook via smartphones and computers than anyone else.

The article points out that moms are becoming early adopters of smartphone technology. That doesn't surprise me, given moms I know are major multitaskers -- whether they're working moms or stay-at-home moms or in between.

I've had a smartphone for a long time but since I switched to a iPhone earlier this year, my online consumption has skyrocketed to a point where my husband constantly reminds me to stop checking my phone. I also do a lot of online banking, mobile shopping, reading and other things on my phone.

In response to moms' voracious use of smartphones, companies and retailers are trying to understand their habits and turn that information into dollars.

What made you switch to a smartphone? Has it made you more efficient or less so? And do you think it's a good idea that marketers are trying to cater to moms?

Posted by Hanah Cho at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Moms' groups
        

The deluge of comments under my post about mothers' groups got me thinking that Charm City Moms should explore a little more the kinds of connections mothers form with each other, and how these friendships change as the kids grow.

I find it interesting that mothers' groups have become more and more necessary to people as our society seems more hurried and more disconnected.

It seems like it should be easy for mothers to be friends, and sometimes it is. Who understands what we're going through the way another mom does, especially if the kids are the same age? But sometimes it's not easy. Ever tried to approach a group of moms on the playground who already know each other? It can be downright scary. Let alone if you're a stay-at-home dad trying to break into a group of parents, as our Guest Dad Will Morton noted a while ago.

Part of it is that parenting makes many of us anxious -- and, dare I say it, judgmental. We want to do everything right, and to appear to do it right. Sometimes if a mom appears more perfect than you, you may not want to be friends. If she brags about her kids too much, you might not be able to stand it. Or you might think she's too lax. Even though your kids like each other, you worry about the example she sets -- and what might go on in her house if you left your child alone there.

She might think you're judging her because she works and you don't. Or because she stays home and you work. And vice versa.

And then there's the time factor. If things get really busy and you don't have time for some of your mom friends, it's another thing to feel bad about.

How do you choose your mom friends? How many can you handle? What makes you stick with one, and keep her for years?

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 7:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Moms' groups
        

In the couple of months that I've been writing this blog, I've been trying to gather information about moms' clubs around the area to tell you about.

Mother's Day Week seems like a good time to publish what I've got so far. Maryland parents are all over cyberspace (and sometimes they get together in person, of course). Here are some groups I've learned about:

(Click below for the list. ...)

Continue reading "Finding a moms' group" »

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (42)
Categories: Moms' groups, On the Web