London - When it comes to family finances, mothers have a firm grip on the purse strings.
Eighty-four percent say they make the biggest monetary decisions, while just 49 percent of fathers have a role, a study shows.
A poll by retail analyst Mintel reveals that moms wield enormous power over decision-making – but 85 percent put the needs of the family before themselves.
Some 86 percent said they influence where to go on holiday, compared to 53 percent of dads. And 71 percent take the lead in buying major purchases such as phones, laptops and TVs compared to 59 percent of men.
The study also said almost half – 45 percent – of mothers thought they were doing a better job at parenting than their friends and family. But just one percent said their partner “does most of the parenting or household tasks”.
Richard Cope of Mintel said: “Quite simply moms are queens of the household, not only taking the lead in parenting and household tasks, but as consumers and decision-makers.
“Moms – more than partners, more than children – are influencing every facet of modern consumer life.”
Their role in deciding which technological items to buy is thought to result from the time they spend playing on devices with their children.
The research also shows how mothers are willing to turn to technology to help with family health or safety. More than one in ten said they would use a wearable device to chart their children’s fitness – with three in ten using it to track their whereabouts.
Daily Mail