Wednesday, 22 June 2011

I'm A Midnight Mum - but I'm Not Alone!!

Yes, it's 12.28am and I'm still up. I usually hit midnight before I drag myself off to bed - then feel guilty because I haven't blogged/cleaned/tidied etc. The truth is I just don't seem to have enough hours in my day.



I'm up at 6am and out the house by 7.15 to do the nursery run. I start work at 8.15 after my 45 minute commute. I always work through lunch grabbing a salad or a fruit pot as I work. I leave on time but take my laptop home, pick up the kids and head home. Dinner, bath and bedtime follows and I usually sit down at 10 wondering where the time has gone. I catch up with work emails whilst watching TV then catch up on the day that I have missed in the social space. I'm always tired and always wishing for more hours and more sleep so when I read that Three had uncovered the secret of Britain’s ‘Midnight Mums’I felt a sense of relief... It's not just me... I'm not alone! Here's the findings of thier recent survey...

According to Three, half of all UK mums (48 per cent) admit to going online in the depths of the night just to get everything done. With many resorting to catching up online at night, a third of mums (33 per cent) now get less than six hours of sleep.Yep - that's me - tired and grumpy on 5/6 hours a night!

The survey of 3,000 mums across the UK found that they are avid internet users, with a third (28 per cent) going online for at least an hour a day

As well as looking for parenting advice and activities for their children, the top online activities are email, online banking, staying in-touch with friends on Facebook, looking for money saving tips and vouchers, as well as reading the news. (Well we can't help ourselves can we! What's the point in going to bed early when you can catch up and nosey on your friends!?)

Research confirms that mums are always on the go, with most mums (82 per cent) now having less than an hour of ‘me time’ a day, leaving the majority of mums (78 per cent) stressed on a daily basis.
Three is working with celebrity mum Denise Van Outen and reaching out through NCT members, to help show mums the benefits of smartphones and having internet on the go - as the research indicated that mums can save 135 hours a year by having the internet while out and about. - This I can't comment on! My current  3 phone is a ZTE - which I confirm is neither smart or good looking!


Mobile internet on smartphones helps mums keep connected and gives them the freedom to be online for both work and play, wherever they are, and at a time most convenient to them. And thanks to Three’s All-You-Can-Eat data they can now do this without worrying about the cost.
Speaking about how mobile internet can help the modern mum, Sally Horrox from NCT said: “NCT wants people to have a parenting experience that enriches their lives and gives them confidence. Sharing information with a network of parents is a great support and benefit in parenthood, and this is what NCT is all about. The many ways that mobile internet is helping parents make connections is a great additional support for parents.
“We’ve noticed more of our members accessing our site and newsletter on their phones, which is one of the reasons we’ve launched our NCT Babychange app, helping parents save time when looking for quality baby changing facilities.”

Celebrity mum of one Denise Van Outen added: “My daughter has just turned one and keeps me constantly busy, so I can certainly empathise with busy mums.
“I love the internet and often tweet or go online late at night when I get some down time. Becoming smartphone savvy has been a great eye opener and I’ve enjoyed making dead time, such as standing in shopping queues and waiting for friends, more productive. With the help of some amazing apps I now have instant access to my email, bank accounts, news and travel updates at my fingertips.”
Sylvia Chind from Three explained: “Our research shows that Mums are particularly stretched for time and are really optimistic about how mobile internet could help them claim some of this back. We want to share hints, tips and tricks on what mums can do with mobile internet to help their lives run more smoothly.
“We want to reach out to as many mums as we can. Our aim is to give mums confidence and peace of mind when it comes to using mobile internet and smartphones, which is why we offer truly unlimited data on both pay as you go and contract plans.”
Three is also launching a nationwide competition to find the UK’s Busiest Mum. There is the chance to win an all-expenses-paid family holiday to the Caribbean for one deserving mum and her family. There are also BlackBerry smartphones available to win. To enter visit Three’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ThreeUK.
Three is also working with Race Online, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Lowri Turner and Laura Tenison to help show mums how to make the most of mobile internet.

Three offers all-you-can-eat data on both The One Plan and Pay As You Go packages, allowing customers to download the latest apps and music, use maps, view videos, update Facebook and Twitter, shop around for the best bargains and loads more without worrying about the cost of internet use.

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