Most S'pore kids are happy: Study

Nov 30, 2007
Most S'pore kids are happy: Study
Research shows the majority like their parents and have enough friends
By Theresa Tan
WORKING mums can breathe easy - a new study has found that hours at the office will not affect the emotional well-being of their children.
Despite parental fears, most children think their mums - working or not - often spend time with them, according to a study released yesterday by the Singapore Children's Society.

'Perhaps children don't expect their mums to spend all their time with them,' said senior researcher Mrs Shum-Cheung Hoi Shan.

'It's the quality of the time spent that matters.'

The study on the well-being of primary schoolchildren here painted a rosy picture. Researches interviewed about 1,800 parents and children and found:

83 per cent of children feel happy often or very often.
Over 95 per cent of children like their parents and have good relationships with them.

98 per cent of children have enough friends.
'It's very reassuring to know that the majority of our kids are happy,' said Mr Alex Lee, who sits on the society's board.

The study comes at a time when families are under greater strain than ever.

Divorce rates and the number of single-parent families are climbing. Plus more women are going out to work.

Working mothers said they wished they had more time for their children and try to devote their down time to their kids.

Accounts assistant Mrs Jeslin Heng, 39, says she is sometimes too tired to help her eldest daughter, who is nine, with her homework.

The mother of two has considered quitting her job to spend more time with her daughters, but cannot afford to leave work.

However, children interviewed by The Straits Times said their mums spent enough time with them, regardless of their employment status.

Ynez Tan, 11, is happy to have 'private' time when her salesgirl mum is at work.

She said: 'I can chat with my friends for a long time or watch TV when my mother is working.

'I prefer my mum to work.'

What is interesting, Mr Lee said, is that Malays and Indian children said they spend more time with their parents than Chinese children.

One reason could be Malay and Indian communities are more close-knit, said Mrs Shum-Cheung.

While the majority of children are happy, 10 per cent said they feel very sad often or very often.

Researchers did not ask the children why they were sad, or for that matter, happy.

They only asked the children, aged between six and 12, to rate their feelings.

However, going by calls to Tinkle Friend - the society's helpline for primary school pupils - children are often troubled by fighting parents, stress from school work, quarrels with friends and bullying.

Said Mr Lee: 'The percentage of unhappy children may be small, but it is something to look into.'

The study also found a child's emotional well-being is not affected by the number of siblings he has.

Those who are the only child tend to share their secrets and feelings with their grandparents more frequently than children with brothers or sisters.

theresat@sph.com.sg