Millennial Parents Equally Share in Childcare Responsibilities

11/13/17 | by Luz Sanchez | Marketing

Parenting roles are one more thing that millennials are doing differently from past generations. This shift, towards more equality in child care responsibilities, means that fathers are just as likely to accompany their kids to optometry appointments as mothers. In fact, 57 percent of fathers say that parenting is extremely important to their identities, compared to 58 percent of mothers, according to Pew Research Center. With today’s dads being just as invested in their sons and daughters’ lives as moms are, it’s important to consider how your optometric practice addresses the closing gender gap in child caregiver roles.
Although men play an important role in their children’s lives, they don’t always receive recognition for their efforts. Historically, advertisers portray them as too inept to figure out how to use laundry detergent, cook simple meals, or change diapers. Women, in contrast, are lauded and praised for their mothering abilities.
Luckily, the tide is turning. You’ll still find plenty of stereotypical commercials on TV, but some companies are paying for commercials and print ads that depict men as caring and competent.

Including Dad in Your Marketing Strategy Can Benefit Your Practice

Cereal companies and vacuum cleaner manufacturers aren’t the only ones who benefit by targeting fathers. When you update your marketing and educational materials to include the information fathers need and want, and package it in a way they’ll use, you’ll gain a valuable new market segment for your practice.
You’ll make it easy for fathers to find your site and communicate easily with your office when you:
Ensure That Your Website Is Mobile Friendly. Millennials value the ability to access websites whenever and where ever they want. When your site is mobile friendly and loads quickly, dads will be able to easily scan your services and hours whether they’re at work or waiting to pick their kids up from soccer practice.
Offer Online Appointment Scheduling. Online appointment scheduling ensures that dads can make appointments with your practice when it’s convenient for them. When you offer an online scheduling option, both moms and dads don’t have to worry about trying to schedule appointments when they’re at work and can access your appointment scheduling feature at midnight if they want.
Provide YouTube Videos on Your Website. Books are no longer the prime source for the latest parenting advice. Millennial dads prefer YouTube videos instead. Eighty percent of millennial dads have watched YouTube videos on parenting topics, according to Google/Ipsos Connect. Your videos can cover such topics as what happens during an eye exam, common childhood eye conditions, how vision insurance works, helping your child choose frames, and information about contact lens wear.
Everyone benefits when you focus on millennial fathers. Children receive the optometric care they need, fathers feel valued and included, and you develop a strong, long-lasting relationship with the entire family.