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Kids motivate parents to make the world better, says survey

Children’s natural optimism and enthusiasm motivates adults to make the world a better place, says an online survey of more than 8,000 children and their parents in India, Indonesia, the UK and the US.

Updated on: Nov 21, 2013, 01:23:32 IST
Hindustan Times | By , New Delhi
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Children’s natural optimism and enthusiasm motivates adults to make the world a better place, says an online survey of more than 8,000 children and their parents in India, Indonesia, the UK and the US.


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Nine in 10 of the more than 4,000 parents surveyed admitted they were motivated to change some aspect of their lives for the better after their first child was born.

The survey was commissioned by Unilever Study and carried out by independent global research company Edelman Berland.

Besides, children in India were far more aware than kids in the US and the UK about key global issues such as world hunger, climate change, safe drinking water and preventable diseases.

In India, 84% children knew about four or more global issues as compared to 73% in the UK and 70% in the US.

Yet, Indian children were far more optimistic about their future than children in the US and the UK.

About 91% children in India and Indonesia were optimistic about their future compared to 83% in the UK and 89% in the US.

Optimism that their children’s lives will be better than their own was also stronger across parents in India and Indonesia, particularly in relation to job opportunities, education and quality of life.

About 92% parents in India and Indonesia want their children to receive better education compared to just 64% parents in the UK and 73% in the US.

Indonesian and Indian parents were also very particular about better job opportunities for their children, compared to their Western counterparts.

Only 50% parents in the UK want their children to have better job opportunities while 63% parents want the same in the US.

Findings of an online four-country survey of more than 8,000 children and their parents in India, Indonesia, the UK and the US:

Children’s view
India
Indonesia
UK
US
Optimistic about their own future
91%
91%
83%
89%
Children’s optimism for the future environment
91%
78%
59%
70%
Knowledge about major global problems
84%
76%
73%
70%
Concern for global issues
81%
82%
63%
62%
Parent's view
India
Indonesia
UK
US
Believe their children will live longer than them
76%
90%
73%
75%
Want their children to have a better education than them
92%
92%
64%
73%
Believe their children will enjoy life more than them
84%
89%
52%
62%
Believe their children will have better job prospects
87%
91%
50%
63%
Believe their children need to work harder
81%
73%
64%
62%
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