Children in Ireland

Issues of concern

Bullying

23% of parents say bullying is the top concern about their own children.

39% of children said bullying was their main concern, followed by parental conflict in the home (19 per cent).

Childhood then and now

78% of parents think their children's childhood is better than their own, while 54 per cent feel it is a lot better.

75% of children think their childhood is better than that of their parents.

Spending time with children

76% of parents think they personally spend enough time with their children.

62% of parents think parents generally do not spend enough time with children

Working parents versus stay-at-home parents

36% of parents where both are working full-time say they are very satisfied with the amount of time they spend with their children, compared with 52 per cent of parents where one parent stays at home.

TVs in their rooms

32% of children say they have access to a TV in their own room.

21% say they have access to a DVD player in their room. Just over 5 per cent say they have access to a computer or the internet on their own.

What makes a good childhood

99% of parents say a loving family is most important.

95% of children say a loving family, followed by friends (87 per cent).

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times