Parents are far away from the ground realties in which their teens are growing.
Recent report by Guardian/ICM poll revealed that most of the parents are oblivious about their children who are indulging into sex at a minor age they are going into the vicious cycle of drugs, drinking and smoking.
The findings are based on a study on nearly 500 children, 11 to 16 year olds. They were asked to fill in some confidential forms related to issues like alcohol, drugs, sex and internet. It was carried out in respective homes where parents and children were simultaneously given forms to fill, in different rooms.
The results were really an eye opener.
Of children who have tried drugs, 65% of parents think that they have not or do not know. Of children who smoke, 52% of parents were unaware. Of the children who drink, 45% of their parents believe they don’t, or don’t know. The average alcohol consumption per week among these child drinkers is five units.
Of children who say that they have looked at pornography online, 60% of their parents think that their children have not done so.
The research postulated that 15% of the children have talked about sex online and 3% have met stranger online but their parents do not anything about these.
Most 16-year-olds, and almost half of 15-year-olds have lost their virginity but 83% of their parents think they have not, or do not know.
Of the children who have shoplifted, 65% of their parents do not believe they have done so or don’t know.
On the whole, 84% of the children questioned said they did not smoke, including almost all 11- and 12-year-olds. But that drops to 65% among 16-year-olds. Of children who do say they smoke, the average number of cigarettes consumed a day is seven.
