As a journalist I get sent lots of studies every day but only a few make me smile or think about it. There’s one in particular which caught my eyes and made me realise how children these days are often insensitive and egoistic. According to a recent conducted with kids’ TV series The Clangers for Kindness campaign (they are, after all, known for their kindness!), over 95% of parents of 2-6 year olds in London think their children are generally kind, but over 60% have seen their children being unkind. Take a look at some of the results of this survey which was filled in by 1400 parents and which sheds some light into modern parenting and childhood.
Almost a quarter of London kids (24.36%) would tell a parent or teacher if someone had been unkind to them.
Only 22.38% of London parents think they should persuade their children to be kind with sweets – the national average is 15%.
Apparently not always telling the truth (about people’s appearances), and how to use a ‘quiet voice’ when talking about people in public, are amongst the hardest things to teach small children. The top tactic for parents to encourage kindness in London kids is setting an example by being kind themselves (54.39%) and positively reinforcing kind behaviour with kindness (62%).
Top 5 things London kids are doing already
1. Sharing Toys
2. Sharing Sweets
3. Helping Mum & Dad
4. Saying Please and Thank you
5. Saying I love you
Top 5 things London parents find hardest to teach their kids
1. Not leaving toys everywhere
2. Not interrupting
3. That they can’t always have their own way
4. Not being jealous
5. Not shouting
Top 3 things London parents find least difficult to teach their kids
1. Checking if someone is ok when they fall over (less than 5%)
2. Making eye contact when talking (5.67%)
3. Not swearing (8.22%)
The Clangers have launched the #clangersforkindness campaign and the website www.clangersforkindness.com which encourages kids, parents – in fact everyone – to spread kindness every day, just like the Clangers do on the little blue planet. From giving a hug, to helping a friend in need, there are many ways to spread kindness.
Clangers are kind to one another, to their friends and to aliens visiting their little blue planet. But how kind are the people on our own blue planet? Some young Clangers fans were asked about kindness – see what they said in this video.
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