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Morning News

Gallup Poll: Majority of Americans Believe Their Mother had Greater Formative Influence

Aired May 12, 2000 - 10:46 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Many folks planning something special this weekend for mom on Mother's Day weekend. Let's go live to Gallup Poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport, taking the pulse on this subject.

Hey, Frank.

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Good morning, Bill.

A question we didn't ask was: Would you go to basic training with your son? But we will ask that next Mother's Day, and see what American mothers say about that.

Actually, our polling this last weekend very positive for mothers, as we go into Mother's Day. Here's the question we asked first back in 1951 of Americans: Which parent had the more influence on you when you were growing up? your mother or your father? The good news if for mothers, mothers won back then, now when we ask it again, mothers win again.

These are women, and 61 percent of women, maybe not surprising, say their mother had the greater influence on them, but even among men, 45 percent say the mother had the greater influence to just 34 percent for fathers. So mothers, congratulations, you are the one who really had the formative role in kids as they were growing up, based on this polling.

What about today? Relationships with mothers, we often see sitcoms and other things where adults parents have some pretty sour relationships with their mothers. So we asked that question of people whose mothers were still living, which is 64 percent of American I might point out. You see it is very positive. Three-quarters say, today they have a very positive relationship with their mother. Very few people now are on the outs with their mother today, which is good news for mothers. They will be getting a lot of positive reinforcement from their kids.

What about mothers themselves? Do they think that they are appreciated? Well, on average yes: 85 percent of mothers say that they are appreciated, particularly 50 years and older mothers, you can see a big number. For younger mothers, it is just 77 percent, indicating those mothers with children may not at this point feel all that appreciated. But the good news is it looks like, as they get older, they will feel a little better about their kids. Finally, Bill, the question about what mothers expect. Well, it is gifts, not flowers. Flowers is actually at the bottom of the list of what mothers think they will get on Sunday. It is gifts, cards, dinner, call on telephone. Almost every mother we talked to says that they expect at least something this coming Mother's Day on Sunday.

That's where mother's stand today. Back to you, Bill, in Atlanta.

HEMMER: Frank, thank you. For the record, my mother always asks for a day of peace. I think she is still waiting.

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