Mother-son relationship: how has it changed in this quarantine?

This period of health emergency has been (and still is) tiring for everyone, between limitations, smart working and distance learning. But mothers, in particular, have been asked for an extraordinary commitment.

Now that the tightening of the lockdown has eased, we can attempt a reflection that concerns mothers and children: how has their relationship changed, in other words, what have we learned from our children in this period?

To answer this question, FABA , the storyteller designed for children, carried out a survey in collaboration with the FattoreMamma agency .

“ We are committed to disseminating the importance of listening and cultivating educational games, even in a period like this that we are going through. We live the relationship between mother and child in depth” comments Veronica Balbi, marketing manager of FABA, the audio device which, with its many sound characters, reproduces stories and nursery rhymes. “ For this reason, we asked ourselves what good was born in the parental relationship during the lockdown”. 

How has the relationship between mother and children changed?

“ We have rediscovered playmates, we have unleashed our creativity and this dilated time, forced together, has taught us to get to know them better even under new aspects ” underlined Balbi. According to the 635 mothers with children aged between 1 and 10 who took part in the survey, creativity was the keynote of this period (52% of the interviewees).

Thanks to a pinch of imagination and creativity, mothers have been able to establish new habits and new “rites” that will continue in the months to come (42%).

Working together to build the relationship

What have been mothers’ best allies in these quarantine days? The dimension of “doing” is affirmed above all: cooking (43%), creative workshops, physical activity… everything has served to create an even more solid relationship.

There were moments of crisis, but the survey draws a positive relationship, strengthened precisely by having gone through a difficult period together (34%).

The discovery of reading

The power of listening has been a pleasant discovery for almost 20% of mothers.

What do children love most about reading ? Almost 50% of children comment or ask for explanations confirming that the story can completely capture their attention . 40% are attracted by the images they study carefully (if it’s a book), while for 30% listening is a moment of total relaxation.

And then there is an “educational” value not to be overlooked: for 30%, listening is an opportunity to learn new words and concepts, even abstract ones.

Sociality and peer relationships

What did the children miss the most during this time?

According to the majority of mothers (85%), the lack of exchanges with other children is the most worrying aspect for the psychological and emotional well-being of the little ones . He is anxiously awaiting the reopening of kindergartens and schools, even in a different form than we know them. The same children, in 50% of cases, ask to be able to go to school and resume their normalcy.

In this situation, it is precisely the mothers who pay the highest price: with kindergartens and schools closed, 40% will have to give up work (taking advantage of holidays, leave, layoffs), 27% will be able to count on grandparents and only 9% will rely on babysitters.

A look at the holidays

For 50% of mothers, holidays are synonymous with the sea. Many dream of a place with clean air and green activities. Even if prudence still wins: 41% will stay at home and go on many trips and outdoor activities, while 25% plan to rent a house or residence, trying to avoid crowded places.

FABA, the storyteller

The FABA storyteller, designed and created by the Italian company Maikii for children up to 7 years old, is an audio device that reproduces fairy tales, nursery rhymes and songs, bringing them closer to the audiobook experience. The idea was born thinking about the 80’s record player and the way in which that product changed the habits of the kids of the time. FABA wants to pass on the importance of feeding children’s imaginations through an evolution of the traditional storyteller. It is a precious friend for children, who are often highly digitalised, thanks to the variety of stories and Sound Characters, the autonomy in use and the possibility of manipulating the character that accompanies listening.