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It is widely understood that all parents want their children to become successful, but a recent survey found vastly different expectations of parents for their off-springs with many of the respondents putting their children's health above all other concerns.
The survey results also show the traditional belief that men should be bread earners while their wives stay at home is very alive and dominant in many people's mind.
The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) asked 835 parents a series of family-related questions in a recent telephone survey and found 40 percent of them wish their children "as healthy as they can be" more than anything else. In sharp contrast, less than 10 percent of them expect their kids to be "more successful than their peers." It seems the old mindset demanding "the son join the elites" is no longer popular among today's parents.
However, quite a few members of the younger generation told the pollsters they thought their parents still expect them to be "more successful than their peers". Some analysts believe this indicates some sort of miscommunication between parents and their children.
The poll has also learned from nearly 40 percent of the respondents that their relations with other members of the family are uncomfortable and they spend less than an hour a day talking with the rest of the family.
Central & Western District Councilor Chan Hok-fung pointed out the more family members communicate with one another the less likely they will develop relationship problems.
Kowloon City District Council member Lee Wai-king said it is unfortunate but in reality the father often has to devote more time and energy to his job than the family.
As the survey results show more than 40 percent of the fathers found economic pressure most difficult to handle and 50 percent of them said they would "bite the bullet alone" rather than talking about it with another person.
Meanwhile, almost 40 percent of the mothers who answered the questions said they wish their husbands are there with them when they tell their children to behave and more than half of them would seek help from the significant half or other members of the family. ■春生 資深翻譯員
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