New Poll Shatters Myths About Mom of 2004

The new American mom has emerged. According to the just released "Voice of Mom" Poll, conducted for ClubMom, the free national membership organization for moms, the matriarch of 2004 heads up a strong family, juggles many roles, embraces old-school values and is very much in control of the world around her.

Moms - a group 82 million strong - love the role of motherhood, even though they recognize it is a difficult job that leaves them with little time for themselves.

Family life in America is strong. Nine in 10 mothers say their husbands fully recognize and appreciate the job they do as a mom, and almost half of all dads split the responsibility for raising the kids equally with moms.

Having children strengthens marriages say 69 percent of moms. Nine in 10 hug their children every day, and 62 percent say their family eats dinner together five or more nights a week.

Most mothers feel their primary challenge is teaching values to their children, 42 percent. Education and the economy and jobs are also big concerns, 40 percent and 32 percent respectively.

But motherhood is a hard job say 88 percent of moms. A growing number - 64 percent - work outside the home, and three out of four find it difficult to balance work and family life.

Overall they are happy with their career choices, but if money were no object, only 10 percent would work full time and 42 percent would work part time.

While moms are recognized at home, they think companies could do a better job. Seventy-two percent say companies should offer more discounts, and 92 percent feel companies should adapt their policies to help working moms. Many moms, 44 percent, want more flextime, and a third want more opportunities for convenient and affordable day care.

"We commissioned this poll to take a close look at today's mom - who she is and what matters most to her. We wanted to offer moms the opportunity to be heard and create a benchmark study that we can measure against on an annual basis," said Alexandra Aleskovsky, chief mom officer for ClubMom. "We plan to distribute the findings to Fortune 1000 companies, the president and members of Congress and challenge them to do more for moms."