Irish children are a happy, healthy lot
They’re not called ‘little wonders’ for nothing: kids have long been a great mystery to grownups, not least because you never know what they’ll say or do next.
It’s always been Calpol’s job to get kids back to their real selves whenever they’re feeling poorly, so when it comes to seeing just what makes little tykes tick, they were certainly the people for the job.
In association with Millward Brown, Calpol conducted extensive research to reveal more about what it’s like to be a kid in Ireland in 2016. Kids aged 6-12 were questioned across the country about the highs and lows of their childhoods.
In a way, some things never change down the ages. Happily, the research finds that Irish children are a happy, healthy lot in the main; sport is a hugely positive influence on their lives, despite the advent of electronic gaming. Soccer, swimming and GAA are their pastimes of choice. Alas, Irish dancing appears to be under threat as a popular after-school activity, with 17% of young respondents saying they actually hate it.
Yet in many ways, the Irish child in 2016 is a band apart from generations past: when asked about what games they love, Irish kids love computer games and tablets (42% of respondents say they prefer this to any other game), while the humble board game fell out of favour, with almost 1 in 5 kids saying they liked board games the least.
Still, their ‘bucket lists’ should ring familiar to many parents. When asked about the things in life they’d hate to miss out on, Calpol’s research shows that going camping (34% of respondents) riding a horse (30%) and going to Disneyland (29%) or Legoland (19%) are things they’d hate to miss out on before they grow up.
In taking a peek at the secret world of Irish youngsters, Calpol and Millward Brown also found that simple things like birthdays, Christmas, weekends and friendships are cherished. 68% of children note that friendship is important to them, while predictably, 60% love getting spoiled on their birthdays and at festive times!
And when it comes to role models, it seems that Brian O’Driscoll and Katie Taylor trump Michael D. Higgins or Barack Obama.
Respondents were asked what they might like to be when they grow up, and the findings are insightful to say the least. 26% of those surveyed admit that they’d like to be a sports star. Meanwhile, old standbys like teacher (22%) and doctor (18%) follow on the list. At the bottom of the dream job pile, however, are shopkeeper (just 1% of respondents want to own their own shop) and president (just 2% of kids want to end up in the Aras).
When asked about the worst thing about being a kid in Ireland, most of the kids’ responses revolve around being told what to do by parents, teachers and older siblings. Chief among their gripes are – no surprises here - homework, household chores, sibling squabbles and early bedtimes. Having homework tops out the poll with 57% of respondents citing it as their pet hate. Yet worryingly, a quarter of young respondents in the survey cite bullying in the top three worst things about being a child today.
All in all, the research findings are clear: being a child in the 21st century is a complex job, but like those who came before them, they’re rising to the challenge well.
And, when asked what they would want for their children in an ideal world, Irish parents overwhelmingly respond that good health is paramount for their brood.
Over 75% of respondents wish for good health for their family, while other popular hopes are simply happiness (55%) and a good education (51%).
Job done on finding out what makes kids weird and wonderful, Calpol are now on a mission to Search For A Star.
They know better than anyone that when kids are being kids, they get up to all kinds of hilarious and entertaining goings on.
If you’ve ever laughed at something your little one has said, or some of the brilliantly random and quirky things they do, you could well be living with the star of Calpol’s next Back To School pharmacy campaign.
Enter your child (aged 4-12) in Calpol’s Search for a Star for the chance to be 1 of 3 stars in the campaign, and win a family trip to the Legoland Windsor Resort. Get those unique photos of muddy faces and quirky food fight videos in by March 27th to see if your little one has what it takes to make the whole country smile.
Visit www.littlecharacterscompeitition.ie or Calpol’s Facebook page for more information: www.facebook.com/Calpol/
Being a child in the 21st century is
a complex job