The document discusses positioning the transition to parenthood in a positive way through defining and naming this life stage. It notes many issues parents face are due to poor societal understanding of parenting's value. The NCT wants to improve understanding of the transition to parenthood through influencing media, culture and education. Examples are given of different experiences parents face during this transition period. The document examines naming conventions and suggests the transition to parenthood could be considered a status, natural event or brand to create a positive perception. Consultation with NCT stakeholders on an appropriate name will continue into 2012.

1. Positioning the transition to
parenthood to create
positive perceptions
Anne Fox
Head of Corporate
Communications

3. Theme 3
Creating a positive image
of parenthood

4. First action
Define and name the life
stage “transition to
parenthood (TTP)”

5. Why do we need a positive
perception of parenthood?
•Many of the issues parents face can be attributed to a poor societal
understanding of the value of parenting
•NCT wants to improve the population’s understanding of TTP
•We understand the importance of the dependency between early
parenting and a child’s wellbeing – and this is being increasingly
recognised
•We will achieve this objective through influencing media, popular culture
and education
•Thought leadership will be the main approach we adopt in this work

6. Parents don’t get
to define messages
in the media about
parents

7. Media - cynical, idealistic, confusing

8. Brands - Idealistic and unrealistic, exploitative?

9. What happens in the transition to parenthood (TTP)?
− World shrinks
− Become hyper-sensitive - ‘I find it difficult to watch the news’
− Status in society reduces
− Total change in focus away from self and partner
− Fear and anxiety
− Joy
− Excitement
− Nervousness
− Huge financial demands
− Tiredness
− Frustration
− Love (or not)
− Re-assessment of self
− Sense of not achieving things
− Tension/being more chilled
− Change in feeling towards career
− Panic
− Feeling of losing all control of your life/day
− Feeling of disconnection and having nothing in common with childless friends
− Connection with other parents
− Change in body shape and image
− Wanting to become part of a community
− Feeling of inadequacy
− Comparisons

10. Sound familiar?

11. So, what’s in a name?

12. We know what
we mean
when we say
teenager, and
so do the
people we say
it to. There’s a
shared
understanding
and among
parents of
teens often a
knowing look
and a sigh!

13. Gap year is
increasingly used to
describe an
experience- mainly
liked to the year
between second and
high level education
If your friend told
you their 19 year old
was on a gap year
you’d probably ask
what they were
doing, where they
away and whether
they’d taken any
risks.

14. Names fall into different types…
Age Activity Label Status
Baby Schoolchild Wag Adult
Toddler Retired Yuppie Asylum seeker
Child Gap year Chav Refugee
Teenager Parent Geek Spouse
Middle Aged Plastic Guardian
OAP
Experience Insight Natural event Brand
War Hero Water-cooler moment The change Wassup
Olympiad Brainstorm Hoover
Vietnam Veteran In the zone Google
Dad Drunk the coolade
Mum Touch base

15. Age Activity Label Status
Baby Schoolchild Wag Adult
Toddler Retired Yuppie Asylum seeker
Child Gap year Chav Refugee
Teenager Parent Geek Spouse
Middle Aged Plastic Guardian
OAP
Experience Insight Natural event Brand
War Hero Water-cooler moment The change Wassup
Olympiad Brainstorm Hoover
Vietnam Veteran In the zone Google
Dad Drunk the coolade
Mum Touch base
The consensus among those we have consulted with at 2020 Tour sessions is
that the type of name that works best to describe your transition to parenthood
and that of those parents you have supported on behalf of NCT is in the Status,
Natural event or Brand categories.

16. We’ve been taking feedback on the
2020 tour and consulting with NCT’s
internal stakeholders and the agency
will complete their work in 2012.