Family Relationships
 

Communication

 

Q 12 Almost 1 in 4 Claremorris students often deceive their parents/guardians in relation to the way in which they spend their leisure time the results yielding no gender difference. However 34% of the female students admit to occasionally deceiving their parents while a greater number of males (54%) sometimes deceive their parents. Almost twice as many females (43%) as males (23%) never mislead their parents in relation to their leisure time activities.


Q 13 Eleven percent of all Claremorris students surveyed say that their parents put too much pressure on them to perform well at school. Half said that their parents did not, however 39% think that their parents might be putting too much pressure on them to perform well at school. This shows that Irish parents expect a lot from their children academically.

Q 14 Fifteen percent of Claremorris students thought that their parents were very well informed about teenage issues, the majority of these being female. Two thirds of those surveyed thought their parents were well informed. In this case the males and females were both about the same. Eighteen percent said their parents were not very well informed, the males having the majority this time. This shows that the females may have a closer relationship or talk with their parents about teenage issues more than their male counterparts.

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Q 15 Only 18% of all students thought that their parents understand them very well. It is interesting to note that the majority of these are female. Almost 1 in 2 considered that their parents understand them well. The males have a slight majority in this instance. However, 31% of those surveyed said they are not understood well, the males being well ahead in this case. This supports the notion of Irish teenage girls getting on better with their parents than Irish teenage boys.

Q 16 Thirty-nine percent of the students in Claremorris stated that they would discuss a problem with their mothers. Only 1% of the total students surveyed in Claremorris stated that they would discuss a problem with their father. It was only males who would discuss a problem with their Dad. Half of the girls said that they would speak to their Mothers about a problem. It is common in the West of Ireland that a girl would talk to her Mother about a problem. A massive (62.5%) of the male respondants in Claremorris would generally speak to neither parent about any problem. Girls tend to speak to their mothers although more than a third (36% ) of girls say they would speak with neither . We conclude that girls in the West of Ireland are beginning to move away from their mothers. It is only 12% of modern students who would talk to both parents with more females than males doing so.


Q 17 Females tend to rate their relationships better with their parents than males. None of the surveyed females said that their relationship with their parents is bad with 30% saying that their relationship is exellent. Only 21% of males think that their relationship is exellent but a massive 59% rate their relationship as good. 52% of females think that their relationship is good and 18% rate it as fair which is equal to the male percentage. This goes to show that relationships with parents are better than most people would think and is typically Irish. An enormous 80% rate their relationship with their parents as good or excellent. This is a very good reflection on the Claremorris students.

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Q 18 Fourteen percent of Claremorris students felt that homework caused the most friction in their household. This was equal for both male and female. Only 1% of students felt that clothes/fashion caused the most friction in their household and this percentage was higher for females. Twelve percent of students felt that staying out late caused the most friction in their homes. The percentage for girls was 14% and for males it was 10%, showing that this issue is more trouble among females and their parents.

Just over one third of students felt that alcohol/drugs caused the most friction in the household. Once again a higher percentage of females than males felt this, showing perhaps that alcohol/drugs are not as acceptable among females as males.

One quarter of students thought that smoking caused the most friction in the household. Slightly more males than females felt this, showing that smoking may be more common among males.

Less than 1 in 10 students believed that religion caused the most friction in their households. Five percent of females felt this way, compared to 14% of males. This shows perhaps that females are more religious than males, and this may be a reason for the decline in vocations to the priesthood among young men.

Only 2% of students felt that their friends caused the most friction between them and their parents. This was equal for each sex. This very low percentage shows that parents tend to approve of their children's friends.


Q 19 When asked 44% of students thought that Parents/guardians were very influential in their lives. This is slightly higher for females where 48% of them felt this compared to 40% of males. Only 6% felt that their parents/guardians were not influential and interestingly all of these were males.

23% of students felt that other family members were very influential in their lives and once again more females than males felt this way. Nineteen percent felt that they were not influential and this was almost equal for males and females.

Although parental influence is perceived as slightly higher 42% of students felt that their friends were very influential in their lives. There was a marked difference in male and female opinions here as 57% of females felt this way compared to 25% of males. Only 6% felt that their friends were not influential and this was slightly higher for males.

A mere 4% of students felt that their teachers were very influential and more males than females felt this.

Only 8% felt that pop-groups/magazines were very influential and once again more males than females felt this way and this would show that males are more superficial than female's.


Q 20 Almost one in three students felt that it was very important to please their parents/guardians. There was a very big gender difference here as 41% of females felt this compared to 18% of males. This shows that females are more concerned with their parents' expectations. Only 5% of students felt that it was not important to please their parents/guardians and 7% male compared to 2% female. This shows again that females are more concerned with their parent's expectations.

Overall a massive 95% of modern students feel it is important or very important to please their parents.

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