News Copy - By Astrid Hall
Parents care more about their children's happiness than they do about grades, a study has found.
Research revealed despite the pressures of modern life and looming exam results, they would much rather their little one had a happy family life than fret over their future.
The study of 1,502 mums and dads revealed the top 10 wishes they have for their offspring, where being successful in school was trumped by good health and being kind to others.
A spokesman for Fairy Non Bio, which commissioned the research, said: “Our study has shown despite the assumptions that complex aspirations are the priority when it comes to what parents want for their child, all they really hope for is for them to be healthy, happy and loved.
“We believe in care for the things that matter most, so it’s heart-warming to see parents prioritising the simple things for their children among all the pressures of growing up in today’s society.”
It also emerged parents would prefer their child to find a career they enjoy over being professionally successful.
And they would also rather their child be respected by others over more fickle aspirations such as finding romance.
The study also found just a quarter of parents have kept a record of the wishes they had for their children, including taking photos as a reminder, writing them down in a journal or writing letters to them for when they are all grown up.
Nearly half said they have archived these aspirations so they can share them with their little ones when they get older.
And a third use it as a way to connect with their children.
Bu three in 10 said they wouldn’t or aren’t sure as to whether they will share these wishes with their offspring, keeping them personal and private.
More than one in seven parents regret not having kept some sort of documentation themselves for their future hopes for their child and wished they had.
And three-fifths of the mums and dads who haven’t kept a record said it had never even occurred to them to do so.
A spokesman for Fairy Non Bio added: “We want to encourage parents to record and share their fundamental wishes for their children, as a keepsake for life and a reminder of what is truly important.
"We’ve teamed up with famous parents Tom Daley, Vogue Williams and Matt Dawson to create a moving video which shows sharing their wishes for their children - we hope this will inspire parents to do the same, using the hashtag #ToMyBaby.
"We know that for some families even the simplest wishes can’t be taken for granted."
For every share using #ToMyBaby, Fairy Non Bio will donate £1 to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
Watch the video here:
Top 10 wishes for parents:
1. To be happy
2. To be healthy
3. To have a stable/happy family life
4. To be loved
5. To be a kind person to others
6. To find a career they enjoy
7. To be respected among their peers and colleagues
8. To be lucky in love/not have their heart broken
9. To find a passion outside work
10. To have a fulfilling social life
ENDS
