4,000 Aussie mums tell all

Kleenex Mums asked 4,000 Aussie women for their honest thoughts and feelings about motherhood in a far-reaching survey completed by mums with children aged between 0-12 years.

Women from all over Australia were asked a range of questions to find out what it's really like caring for a bundle of joy (or several), 24/7. It's not a surprise that most Aussie mums would love a 'magic fairy' to help around the home, and say their biggest gripe is no 'me' time, yet they still feel they are succeeding in being emotionally available for their kids.

And if you're a mum and struggle to stay on top of housework with everything else that's going on in your day, you're definitely not alone!
- 51% of mums surveyed said they find it hard to keep up with chores around the house
- Only one in three said they're confident about managing home finances
- A third of mums said they could do a lot better when it comes to being more organised
- Just under half said they could do better in terms of taking some time out for themselves and creating balance at home.

So what would most mums actually do with the extra time if they had it? Would they take some time out to relax? Funnily enough, no! 59% said they'd rather do something fun with their kids and partner as a whole family!

The results of the survey also found some interesting comparisons between working and stay-at-home mums. While both agreed that staying on top of housework was the most stressful impact of motherhood, the majority of working mums said that balancing work and home was the biggest thing for them.

However, a key difference between working and stay-at-home mums was where they turned for support. Mums who work full time said they relied on fewer sources than stay-at-home mums, who say they use online forums as an important source of info.

- Overall, 46% of mums said they read blogs on a regular basis
- 46% would like to guest blog on a parenting website
- One quarter of mums currently comment on blogs
- An impressive 13% of mums are already writing a blog themselves

Determined to make the lives of Aussie mums a little easier, Kimberly-Clark has taken the results of this survey and created a great new, online initiative: kleenexmums.com.au with regular blogs about keeping a house, fun for the family, quick and easy meal ideas and even tips from other mums on kid's health.

Recognising that mums rely heavily on other mums and the internet for advice, support and information, kleenexmums.com.au has been designed as a positive and supportive forum in which Aussie mums (and dads!) can get together and share their thoughts and experiences. It's absolutely free to belong to, and mums can swap ideas, seek advice, share stories and enter into conversations with other users. There is even a FREE eBook for download, 'Mum's the Word – a survival guide for the modern mum' – a modern day mum's manual!

The new e-book contains a whole range of fun, practical and empathetic tips for mothers, including:
- 'Naptime is the new happy hour' – how to make the most of this precious "me time"!
- 'Cheap date night' – a few ideas for fun and affordable date nights to have a well-earned break from the constant requirements of motherhood
- Facebook updates – a selection of witty updates for frazzled mums