What millennial parents do to make their days more joyful

According to a new study, small moments of joy can turn even the most dull and ordinary day into memorable family time.  

A new study of 2,000 U.S. millennial parents found 81% of parents and 88% of kids have a daily routine. 

Parents said their families are in the greatest need of joyful moments during the summer break (34%), winter months (18%) and the holiday break (15%).

Commissioned by Hostess (https://www.hostesscakes.com) and conducted by Talker Research, the study found 91% of parents believe finding everyday moments of joy can have a positive impact both on their own and their kid’s wellbeing.

Parents try to have fun with their kids outside the normal routine five days out of the week, on average.

Parents shared what can make their days feel more joyful: making their kids laugh (52%), being silly with their kids (48%), cuddling with their kids (46%), having nice weather (43%) and doing something spontaneous and fun (43%).

And when they feel like they’re stuck doing mundane tasks, parents said they like to make it more joyous by singing along to music (63%), generally being silly (46%) or dancing with their kids (43%).

The average parent said they try to surprise their kids with fun activities three times per week.

In fact, 68% like treating their kids to some sort of spontaneous activity, such as giving them a special treat or snack (59%), buying them something new (58%) or playing games together (57%).

Meanwhile, 78% of parents said they actually prefer planning fun activities for their kids ahead of time.

They like to plan visits to local parks (60%), make family activity plans (51%) and plan rewards for good grades (49%).

“Following a daily routine can be beneficial for families and helps everyday life run smoothly, but it can also become repetitive and monotonous,” said Chris Balach, vice president, marketing, Sweet Baked Snacks at The J.M. Smucker Co. “A small break away from a typical day to find and appreciate moments of joy makes a big difference.”

The study also found 85% of parents believe it’s important to create spontaneous moments of joy during the weekends. 

Over seven in 10 (77%) prefer weekends for creating spontaneous moments of joy and cite the reasons why as being able to spend more time relaxing with their family (63%), not having to worry about school or work (62%) and having the chance to have an unstructured fun time with family and friends (46%).

Eighty-six percent feel confident in their abilities to make small moments of joy for themselves and their family throughout the average day, just as 89% have tried to make the typical day at home feel more fun.

Nine in 10 said the more often their family does activities together, the happier and more closely knit they feel. Nearly as many (88%) said it’s important that their family has outings outside the house at least once per week.

“Finding spontaneous ways to have fun no matter where you are can help spark moments of joy,” continued Chris Balach, vice president, marketing, Sweet Baked Snacks at The J.M. Smucker Co. “Whether it’s planning a trip to the park or having an impromptu karaoke session at home, breaking away from the daily routine can encourage parents and kids to create lasting memories and appreciate those special moments of joy together.”

TOP 10 WAYS PARENTS SAY A DAY CAN FEEL MORE JOYFUL

Making my kid(s) laugh – 52%

Being silly with my kid(s) – 48%

Cuddling with my kid(s) – 46%

Having nice weather – 43%

Doing something spontaneous and fun – 43%

Spending more time with my kid(s) at home – 43%

Experiencing something for the first time with my kid(s) – 40%

Spending time outdoors – 39%

Learning new things alongside my kid(s) – 36%

Finding a new mutual interest or hobby with my kid(s) – 33%