STATE OF THE SICK DAY
Introducing the State of the Sick Day Survey
What really happens when kids get sick? Real moms gave us their POV.
Sick days don't look like they used to.
Digital doctor’s notes. More information (and misinformation) than ever. iPhone calendar Tetris. And according to Genexa’s new State of the Sick Day study, parents–especially moms–turning to each other to get through it.
In partnership with YouGov, we surveyed 1,000 U.S. moms across the country with kids under 18, one truth came through loud and clear: Moms are increasingly turning to each other almost as frequently as they’re turning to doctors. Group chats, not search engines or telehealth platforms, have become a “first stop” for symptom checks, emotional support, and real-life hacks.
THE MODERN VILLAGE LIVES IN THE GROUP CHAT
51% of moms are in a parenting-related group chat. Most moms seek support when their kids are sick.
Of these, a large proportion turn to their phones, relying on one-on-one texting (82%), group chats with other moms (37%) and/or with family members or friends (46%).
Peak texting windows align with caregiving stress moments: morning school prep and managing sick kids during work hours.
"More reliable than calling the doctor for every little thing"
SICK DAYS = DOUBLE DUTY
58% work from home while caring for a sick child.
70% are depleting their own sick days to stay home with a sick child.
40% of moms are juggling working pressure as well as at-home pressure, processing frustrations digitally with peers first – not partners.
40% process sick-day stress with other moms first — not partners or family.
"Group chats are my support system, other moms just understand"
One thing we’ve learned as parents, sometimes when the going gets tough, all you need is a win. That’s why we started Genexa, to help families like ours find feel better solutions that we feel good about.
This one is for the moms, the superheroes of sick days.
