Teens on a date would worry younger parents
· A big concern of many parents is who their child is dating - a fifth of UK parents would be horrified to discover their child was dating someone they disapproved of
· Generation Y would be the most horrified, followed by Generation X with the Baby Boomer generation discovered to be the least fussed
· Biggest concern for parents aged 18-32 is their child being financially irresponsible
One of the things that parents from different generations approach contrarily is who their child dates, as a fifth of younger parents (Generation Y, parents aged 18-32) would still be horrified to learn their child was dating someone they disapproved of, despite it being the 21st century.
While many may think being dismayed that your child is dating someone you find unsuitable, is quite old fashioned, Opinium Research found that the younger the parent is, the more bothered and shocked they would be with their child’s dating choices.
A quarter of Generation Y parents admitted they would be horrified if their son or daughter dated someone that mum or dad disapproved of, while this figure dropped for older parents (Generation X, parents aged 33-47) being a concern for just 21 per cent. The oldest generation of Baby Boomers (parents aged 48-66) was the least bothered, with just 18 per cent caring about who their child dates.
James Endersby, managing director of Opinium Research, said: “It’s fascinating to see how parents’ attitudes differ depending on when they were born. Many would assume that the older generation would be more archaic and outdated so it’s surprising to find the youngest generation would care the most about who their child dates in this day and age.”
The study also found that financial irresponsibility is the top worry for parents aged between 18 to 32. Lying about their whereabouts, binge drinking, cheating on an exam and dating someone they disapprove of made up the rest of the top five of the things likely to horrify Generation Y parents.
For Generation X, cheating on an exam was their biggest worry about their child and for baby boomers it was lying about their whereabouts that would make mum and dad horrified with their child
James added: “The fact that their child being financially irresponsible is the top worry for young parents is a real sign of the times, given the recent recession. We look forward to discovering more through further generational studies.”
When UK parents were asked what would horrify their children to learn about something they had done, Opinium Research found that more children would be dismayed to learn their mum or dad had cheated on their partner than been arrested.
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