Is it 'mam', 'mom' or 'mammy'! Happy Mother's Day
Research commissioned by Beko celebrating the launch of the Woman’s Way and Beko Mum of the Year awards has highlighted some very interesting findings around Mother’s Day.
The survey ran by iReach shows a wide range of variations for what Irish people call their Mothers, 31% of adults call their mother ‘Mam’ when they’re speaking to her. 23% prefer ‘Mum’, 12% say ‘Mom’ and a further 12% use ‘Mammy’. Interestingly, 4% of respondents claim to call their mothers by their first name.
Regional variances of this are apparent with Mam the most popular in Munster (38%), Connacht (31%), and Leinster (28%) while Mum is top in Ulster (53%). While Mam is the most popular choice in Munster, other options listed include Mum (17%), Mom (17%) and Mammy (9%).
When quizzed as to what mothers are best at, 39% claim being supportive and 20% answered accepting them no matter what while 16% say that getting told to cop themselves on is what she is best at.
When it comes to talking openly to our mothers, the majority (60%) of Irish adults are uncomfortable talking about sex, 30% find it awkward talking about general relationship advice and 18% find it difficult talking about finance. Health is a topic that people are happy to discuss with only 1 in 10 uncomfortable discussing this.
It has been revealed that 2 in 5 (40%) of all adults are planning on seeing their mother in person to celebrate the occasion this year, a figure which is highest in Ulster at 48% and lowest in Connacht at 31%. Only 17% of respondents have said they will send a card to mark the date while 11% have openly admitted there’s a chance they might forget the day.
Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate and appreciate and when asked about their most cherished memories, over half (53%) of all adults answered their mothers being there for them, 49% say cooking/ home comforts and 47% think their childhood memories are most cherished.
Shane Kelly, Sales and Marketing Manager for Beko says: “Beko is delighted to be involved with the Woman’s Way Mum of the Year awards which recognises the fantastic role Irish mums play in their home and communities right across the country. Beko has been part of Irish families for over 30 years and are extremely proud to be involved. We would urge people to nominate mothers in their lives for the awards. The courage and strength of character from the nominees every year is nothing short of amazing and it is so important we recognise their role in our society."
If you know a Mum who deserves recognition, complete the nomination form in the current issue of Woman’s Way or fill out the nomination form online. Check out womansway.ie for more details.