The Long Tail, of Parenting

I picked up a copy of WIRED mag editor-in-chief Chris Anderson's new book called The Long Tail. As I read Chris' theory on The Long Tail, that is, how culture and economy is more and more moving from a focus on a relatively small number of "hits" (mainstream products and markets) at the "head" of the demand curve and toward a huge number of "niches" in the tail of that same curve.

I wonder how the "hit" phenomenon affects us as parents.

Often, we flock to the most popular parenting experts for advice. Remember the mad rush for Tickle Me Elmos? Marketers aspire to have the "hot" toy or the "it" fashion, or be the driving force behind the "must-have" trend or the "blockbuster" movie box office take. We scoop up a Maclaren stroller for our kids because that's what celebs are pushing even though anything on four wheels will get the job done.

As she blogs about parenting, Pamela Kruger wonders in a recent post whether taking kids to the super expensive theme parks specially designed for kids (in her case, Sesame Place) is more beneficial than a trip to Paris and the Louvre. Somehow spending money to make memories and provide mainstream fun for our children makes us feel like we're doing the right thing.

Anderson notes in his look at online retailers like Netflix and Amazon that even though there are a small number of huge hits (top ranking items) that are downloaded or purchased weekly and monthly, there is an even larger number of niche songs, albums, movies, books, etc. that drive a repsectable amount of business but would never be carried in a traditional bricks-and-mortar retail outlet because every square foot (no inch) of store space needs to ring the register...over and over again.

Consider Anderson's example that while Wal-Mart carries a healthy inventory of CDs, they sell only a small fraction of the music available for purchase because they only carry those albums that are "hits," because that's what rings the register most. It's the 80/20 rule -- 80% of sales comes from 20% of the products. So, to a shopper who only goes to Wal-Mart to buy music, their taste is directed only toward the hits. Go on iTunes, however, and you'll find the other 80% of the music available for purchase that likely better suits your taste and needs. Shopping at Wal-Mart, you'd never know about 80% of the available music.

If we are happy (and in the end more satisfied) to find a unique album and obscure artist on iTunes for our playlists simply because iTunes allows us, through links, user recommendations and suggestions based on our previous purchases, why does this not roll out to parenting? Is there a Long Tail to parenting that can help us shift from hit-directed parenting to find the niches that are right for our family, for our kids, for our style, for our budget? That set us apart from the mainstream and are more reflective of who we are as parents, as people, as a family...that is equally as acceptable as what everyone rushes to do, be, say and buy in the mainstream?

At face value, is a trip to Sesame Place more fun and memorable to a child than a trip to the Louvre in Paris? For the majority, the answer is probably yes. But if Anderson's theory translates from markets and products to families and experiences, there will be a not so insignificant number of families for whom gazing on the Mona Lisa will be the best and most memorable thing their family could do. But we have to be willing, as parents, to explore those niches to uncover the hidden joys.

The question is: do we most often settle for hit-driven and hit-dictated parenting? Why don't we, as parents, aspire to more, metaphorically, than what can be had at the local Wal-Mart? Do 80% of our best family memories come from only 20% of our experiences?

Please, share your thoughts! What do you think? Where do you look? Have you found a parenting/family niche? How does it change your parenting/family dynamic?