As we leave the Christmas shopping rush behind us, now London is on its way to the Winter Sale’s therapy.
Rich or poor, everyone is on their way to the glorified shopping centres and every family has its own spending budget. But more you have more you spend and every parent’s aim, whether poor or rich is to make their children happy.
However, you will find a lot of children as young as 10 years old walking in groups, in those shopping centres to spend money which they received from their parents for their own little luxuries. Unfortunately, shopping has become a big past time activity in Britain and in all developed countries.
Researchers at the National Foundation for Educational Research recently asked English school pupils, aged between 10 and 15 years, whether they agreed, disagreed or were unsure about the statement:”I feel happy about life at the moment.” Children are most likely to say they feel happy if they can talk to their parents about their worries. Children living in poverty are as happy as classmates from wealthier homes; this is what a study of 32,000 young people has found.
This research result contradicts that there is a general belief that children who come from rich families are always happier than those who come from poorer families as the rich children have good living environment and higher living standard then the poorer children.
It is very interesting to see that the study found young people who often sit down for a meal with their family are 1.6 times more likely to state that they are happy as those who sometimes or never sit down to a meal with their family. Is that not a good result especially for parents from wealthier families sending their children with pocket full of money; to let their children eat out with their friends or never get time to sit around a table once a day or for busy parents for couple of times a week?
At this busy time and in particular as most of the Western world indulges in over eating and gorging on festive delights, it may also provide us with the space to reflect on what will make our future generations to lead healthier and happier lives.
There is much that we can learn from the lives of those less fortunate than the rich. All the signs are that the material wealth is no substitute for life that is fulfilled with earthily experiences; there is a sure lesson to be learned from these research findings. There is no significant difference in those children who are receiving Free School Meals (an indicator of poverty in the UK) to those from affluent backgrounds.
The key to happiness for children is to have love, good environment and access to learning. Whether it is the children of the favela’s in Brazil or the children of Mumbai in India – we all have a role to play in the future of all our children.
Is this too much to ask in our modern fast paced world of the 21st century? I see a New Year’s resolution coming on and one that we may be able to keep.
Copyright Semra Eren Nijhar – All rights reserved
Semra Eren-Nijhar 