Kids want parents' time not cash
Friday, 17 Oct 2008 08:01
Children want time with parents rather than money
Nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of children would make more time to spend at home with their family when they grow up, as a result of experiences that they have seen their parents face.
American Express Insurance asked a thousand children aged between eight and 15 years old, what causes their parents the most stress, and as a result, what they would do differently when they grow up.
The insurer found children are recognising that their parents have an unhealthy work life balance; 93 per cent believe their parents are too stressed and consequently 87 per cent would live their lives differently when they grow up, choosing not to follow in their parents' footsteps.
Chris Rolland, head of American Express Insurance Services said: "Families are under an increasing financial burden and it seems that kids are wising up to the pressures their parents are facing; a quarter of kids think that the pressure of paying the bills is making their parents stressed, and almost two thirds of them wish they had more time from their mum and dad.
"Our research indicates that UK parents are struggling to re-focus their work life balance and keep their kids happy."
When they grow up, one in five kids would have a less stressful and hardworking job (20 per cent) with an improved work life balance, and one in twenty would live in a smaller house with smaller bills (five per cent).
Over eight in ten of today's children plan to live their lives differently to their parents' when they grow up (87 per cent).