DAY FIVE: Denver, CO

Monday, August 28, 2006

Cori (Mom), Gerrid (3), Emilee (5), Dawson (7 and clearly the silly one)
Cori is the Mom to 5 kids. Unfortunately we never met Aliyson (13) and Bryant (11) who were at school.

This is one cool Mom. I don’t mean funky, hip kind of cool, but cool in the sense that she should have been crazy mad having 5 kids and two rat terriers running around.

Instead what we ‘felt’ was a Mom who loved to laugh. Who loved to see her kids laugh … even if it wasn’t always appropriate. She split her gut telling us about Dawson’s recent ‘oops slip’ from school. The teachers send home ‘oops slips’ to inform parents (or tattle tale) when kids have made an ‘oops’ at school. Dawson has a long lists of oops. The most recent one was issued when he farted into a plastic bag and then encouraged his friends to smell it.

Cori could not help laughing. She felt the kids who smelt it should have gone home with ‘oops’ slips as well. watch clip

We went shopping with Cori, along with Gerrid and Emilee. The kids were so well behaved, sitting in the cart or holding onto the side of it throughout the store. The three of us were more trouble than they were.

When we got to the snack aisle there was some debate. My Little Pony vs. Monsters Inc. vs. Sponge Bob snacks. Sponge Bob made it into the cart. Five minutes later Gerrid realized Monsters Inc went missing, even though it was he who wanted Bob.

After 5 minutes of whispering to his Mom, we were left standing with Emilee while Cori whisked Gerrid back to the snack aisle to pick up a box of Monsters to go home with Bob. Gerrid won!

We bought a lot of Sunny D at our encouragement. With the help of Emilee we put in the cart her favourites including a jug of the 50% less sugar version. I asked Cori outright if she was concerned about giving her children artificial sweeteners. And unlike Lani and more like Melissa she shrugged it off. “If they like the taste, who cares. It won’t kill them.”

Cori has a wonderful attitude towards her family. “If you are trying your best, and they are happy that is all you can do.” Reinforcing to me “you have to try your best.”

During the 6 hours we spent with Cori and the kids she must have used the word ‘fun’ 15 times. It is so important to her that life is ‘fun’ for her kids. watch clip


Cori is by no means alone. Although many mom studies and news focus on the stresses, complications and challenges of being a mom, what is often overlooked is the FUN. In fact a recent study published by EPM Communications Inc revealed, "While most moms say motherhood is hard work, they also feel that its the most important thing they'll ever do-- and that its fun" (EMP Communicaitons, 2006).

iVillage also explored moms' feelings on motherhood in a study entitled, "Motherhood: A Laobr of Love." These findings revealed that 73% of moms strongly agree that they find their children amazing everyday. Futhermore, 66% agree strongly that being a mom makes them extremely happy. For moms, there is such power and emotion in the everyday when it comes to their kids. The simple moments. The gigles. The imagination. The oops slips.
And of course... not to be ignored (as Cori would probably remind us): 62% of moms strongly agree that "being a mom is fun." (iVillage, September 2005)


Cori pulled Dawson out of school to meet us. I am not so sure he was impressed about his Mom showing up at school and dragging him out of gym class to come out to the car and meet the strangers. But we bonded while he killed us each several times in a civil war mansion.

My favourite moment with Dawson was while he stretched out on the couch making a goof ball of himself. His Mom smiling with pride, tickling him with each silly comment. Emilee trying hard to capture the attention of Coco’s camera.

Implication: It is not about pleasure. It is not about enjoyment. It is just about fun. Plain and simple. That is what kids want. That is what Moms want. It doesn’t need to be deep.

Ellen (42), Mike (50), Collin (16), By (as he likes to be called 9), and Em (5)
This house was perfect. No … these guys were not on the demographic ideal of the mass market Sunny D user.

Ellen is a family therapist, Mike works from home. They have a picture perfect home overlooking a golf course with a Jacuzzi, outdoor smors fire pit, and straight out of a magazine décor. Even Collin’s room was free of posters and typical teen paraphernalia. Em’s was the perfect little girl pink without a sign of disorder. By’s was themed on sports without a sweat sock in sight.

And yet … these guys love Sunny D. When we opened their fridge I didn’t see any. Lots of Dr. Pepper. In their cupboards were not 1, not 2 but 3 treat stashes.

The Sunny D as it turns out is in the freezer. The kids open their Sunny D, take a drink, and then freeze it. Making their own version of Sunny D slush. When the level in the bottle gets too low for a spoon to get past the curvature in the bottle, scissors lower the bottle level to make a ‘bowl’. “I love Sunny D because I can make it into a slushy” By.

We asked Ellen if she restricts the kids from eating anything and she very proudly told us she doesn’t. “They take what they want and nothing more. If I was to restrict them from eating or drinking certain foods it would encourage obsessive behaviour. By having it in the house they regulate themselves. I don’t encourage them, but I don’t restrict them. Nothing is bad enough that little can hurt.”

Its not surprising that moms want to create, experience and treasure the simple moments of fun with their kids. To see joy on a child's face is incredible. Its contagious. And when its your own child. That’s bliss. Ellen is not alone in wanting to please her kids and make them happy. In a 2004 Simmons survey, 61% of parents agreed with the statement, “I indulge my kids with the little extras.”

Ellen, even though she and Cori are light years away and Lani and Melissa are even further away, seem to agree on one thing.

It is important that kids be kids. That they have fun. Enjoy themselves and laugh as much as they can. watch clip

Implication: Kids love the taste of Sunny D. It makes them happy.