Press Release
31 October 2013
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Lu Peng, Head of Marketing and Communications of Ipsos in China
[email protected]
Concerned Parents?
Keeping their children healthy and teaching life values
of top most concerns among Asian parents
China-There is an old saying in China that says “only the parents always worry about
their children”. As for today’s young parents with school-going children, they seem to
be very worried. In a recent poll to understand the concerns of today’s young parents
(below 50 years old) with school-going children in Chinese mainland, South Korea,
Chinese Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, respondents admitted they were
worried about the future of their children.
Parents will always make long-term plans for their Children. According to the
findings of our survey, respondents identified keeping my children healthy (66%),
teaching my children life values (66%) and (providing a) good fundamental education
(51%) as their top 3 concerns. Most of them (34%) selecting keeping my children
healthy as their top most concern. Others of importance but of lesser concern are:
Good job and be financially independent (42%), Ensuring my children are socially
confident (33%), My children excelling in academic education (19%), I want my
children to have a successful married life (18%), My children excelling in
non-academic areas (6%).
The foremost concern of the parents in Chinese mainland is “Keeping my children
healthy” (78%). What’s worth mentioning is that, nowadays the parents in Chinese
mainland pay more attention to “teaching their children life values” (73%) than “good
fundamental education” (51%) as traditionally conceived! However parents in Hong
Kong pay more attention to fundamental education than those in Chinese mainland.
As for the Hong Kong parents, they view “Keeping my children healthy” (76%),
“Teaching my children life values” (74%) and “Providing good fundamental
education” (71%) as equally important. But the parents of South Korean who are not
as much concerned about providing a good fundamental education (26%) as about
their children attaining a good job and being financially independent (50%).
Top 3 Concerns
49%
60%
71%
57%
Good fundamental education
26%
66%
49%
Keeping my children healthy
55%
36%
25%
27%
31%
41%
Ensuring my children are socially confident
61%
Teaching my children life values
53%
My children excelling in academic education
My children excelling in non-academic areas
Good job and be financially independent
I want my children to have a successful married
life
76%
78%
24%
18%
11%
8%
71%
74%
73%
Singapore
33%
Malaysia
4%
9%
7%
4%
8%
Hong Kong
23%
12%
18%
12%
13%
47%
51%
38%
50%
China
S. Korea
35%
Parents Are Mostly Concerned about the Future of Their Children & Chinese
Parents Seem to Be More Positive
Although merely 52% of the Chinese parents say they are worried about the future of
their children, the percentage is still lower than that of any other country in Asia. The
respective percentages for parents in Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore are
54%, 60% and 65%. And the parents in Malaysia seem to be the most worried ones,
with the percentage reaching an alarming level of 72%. Amit Gulwadi, Director of
Ipsos Research commented: “Naturally, most parents worry about the future of their
children, each market with their own unique contributing factors. As overly
competitive as they seem to be, the Singaporean parents’ goal is to provide a
conducive environment for their children to thrive in. There is a strong emphasis on
discipline and autonomy which they feel are essential in providing them with a
holistic childhood.”
China - How would you rate the following statements? (% Top-2 box)
33%
33%
32%
This is a good country to raise children
63%
65%
61%
I believe that a child, who studies well, is going
to be successful when he/she grows up
I am willing to let my child have plastic surgery
in the future
I am willing to let my child live by himself /
herself before marriage
Considering the current reality in China,
children will inherit their parents’ socio-…
I am worried about the future of my
child/children
12%
9%
16%
65%
68%
61%
54%
Total
Dads
Mums
64%
72%
52%
50%
55%
Parents Are Most Focused on Grades of Their Children, Especially in Malaysia
Among all the respondent Asian countries, more than half of the respondents agreed
with “I believe that a child, who studies well, is going to be successful when he/she
grows up” .The Chinese (63%), Hong Kong (62%) and Singaporean (64%) parents
are almost on the same level who share this kind of perspective. Their percentage is
much lower than that in Malaysia (86%).
Lower than Most Country, only 37% of the Chinese Parents Think that China Is
a Good Country to Raise Children
When it comes to if their own country/resident is suited for fostering children, only 33%
of the Chinese parents think that China is a good country to raise children, much
lower than 44% in Hong Kong and 49% in Singapore. What is stunning is that, 75%
of the Malaysian parents think that Malaysia is a good country to raise children. But
the result for South Korean parents is the opposite. Only 17% of the South Korean
parents think that South Korea is a good country to raise children.
Most of the Parents Are Unwilling to Let Their Children Go Through Plastic
Surgery
In all the surveyed regions, we have found that the parents are mostly unwilling to let
their children go through plastic surgery. Only 12% of the Chinese parents will let
their children do that. However, 42% of South Korean parents support this kind of act,
including South Korean moms, making South Korea the number one country in this
regard.
Chinese Parents Are More Willing to Let Their Children Live Their Own Life
before Their Marriage
The parents in Chinese mainland (65%) and Hong Kong (55%) are most willing to let
their children live their own life before marriage. Ipsos China Research Director
comment: “We always have the mindset of Chinese parents coddling their children.
With more progress in social awareness, the Chinese parents are now starting to have
new perspectives. Now the Chinese parents encourage their children to live
independently. This is closely associated with the current social structure and status in
China.”
Dads and Moms Have Different Perspectives on their Children
According to the findings of an Ipsos survey, there are differences between dads and
moms in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Considering the realities in China, 72% of the Chinese dads think that their children
should “inherit their parents’ social and economic status” while the percentage of
Chinese moms endorsing this idea is merely 54%. Dads are more willing to let their
children life independently before their marriage. On the future of their children, the
Chinese moms (55%) seem to be more worried about their dads (50%) and are more
likely to let their children go through plastic surgery.
The study was conducted in China, S.Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore in
July 2013 among 675 parents aged below 50 years across the region who have
school-going children below the age of 21 years.
Hong Kong - How would you rate the following statements? (% Top-2
box)
44%
This is a good country to raise children
33%
56%
62%
62%
61%
I believe that a child, who studies well, is going to be
successful when he/she grows up
I am willing to let my child have plastic surgery in the
future
18%
15%
20%
Total
Dads
55%
58%
51%
I am willing to let my child live by himself / herself
before marriage
34%
Considering the current reality in Hong Kong, children
will inherit their parents’ socio-economic status
24%
Mums
45%
54%
62%
47%
I am worried about the future of my child/children
Singapore - How would you rate the following statements? (% Top-2
box)
This is a good country to raise children
49%
42%
55%
I believe that a child, who studies well, is going to be
successful when he/she grows up
54%
I am willing to let my child have plastic surgery in the
future
I am willing to let my child live by himself / herself
before marriage
Considering the current reality in Singapore, children
will inherit their parents’ socio-economic status
I am worried about the future of my child/children
64%
72%
17%
13%
20%
Total
30%
32%
29%
Dads
Mums
53%
48%
57%
65%
65%
65%
Malaysia - How would you rate the following statements? (% Top-2
box)
75%
This is a good country to raise children
75%
76%
86%
I believe that a child, who studies well, is going to be
successful when he/she grows up
I am willing to let my child have plastic surgery in the
future
I am willing to let my child live by himself / herself
before marriage
87%
85%
7%
9%
5%
Total
32%
Dads
30%
35%
Mums
45%
Considering the current reality in Malaysia, children
will inherit their parents’ socio-economic status
38%
49%
72%
I am worried about the future of my child/children
66%
80%
South Korea - How would you rate the following statements? (% Top-2
box)
This is a good country to raise children
I believe that a child, who studies well, is going
to be successful when he/she grows up
I am willing to let my child have plastic surgery
in the future
I am willing to let my child live by himself /
herself before marriage
Considering the current reality in S. Korea,
children will inherit their parents’ socio-…
I am worried about the future of my
child/children
17%
21%
13%
51%
53%
49%
42%
35%
48%
Total
Dads
48%
45%
51%
Mums
66%
66%
67%
60%
57%
63%
About the Study
The figures shown are findings from a study conducted by Ipsos Asia Pacific
via an online survey provided by Toluna, among a total of 675 parents
across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, S. Korea and China. Qualified
respondents are parents below the age of 50 years who have children under
the age of 21 years still living with them. The fieldwork was conducted
on 16 – 25 July 2013.
About Ipsos
Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is the only independent market research
company that is controlled and managed by research professionals. In
October 2011, Ipsos completed the acquisition of Synovate. The
combination forms the world’s third largest market research company.
With offices in 85 countries, Ipsos has the resources to conduct research
wherever in the world our clients do business. Working both on a global
scale and in local markets, our expert teams give our clients the benefit
of high value-added business solutions including qualitative,
forecasting, modeling, market knowledge and consumer insights.
Ipsos professionals deliver insightful expertise across six research
specializations: advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, public
affairs research, and survey management. Ipsos has been listed on the
Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1.789
billion in 2012.
Visit www.ipsosasiapacific.com to learn more about Ipsos’ offerings
and capabilities.
About Toluna
With 18 offices in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, Toluna works
with many of the world’s leading market-research agencies, media
agencies and corporations. Toluna's survey research has informed stories
in the Financial Times, Advertising Age and Time Magazine.
Toluna pioneered a one-of-a-kind approach to recruiting and engaging
members through Toluna.com, its online social voting community.
Recently the company launched SmartSelect™, a sophisticated respondent
selection methodology for assuring sample representativeness and
increasing response accuracy.
Toluna provides the industry’s leading survey technology
suite, enabling hundreds of organisations worldwide to create online
and mobile surveys, manage panels and build their own online communities.
Toluna products include PanelPortal™ Online Communities and
Toluna QuickSurveys™. Visit www.toluna-group.com for more
information.