Hong Kong parents are rated among the worst in Asia by their children, a survey shows. Reader's Digest magazine interviewed 1,463 boys and 1,749 girls, aged 14 to 18, in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. They were asked to rate their parents in 37 areas and give them an overall grade. The questions included how well their parents showed affection, how well they communicated, and how well - if at all - their parents informed them about sex and drugs. They were also asked what they would do differently when they become parents in future. Of the 3,212 respondents, 400 were from Hong Kong. Their fathers scored particularly badly in the survey, with a D+ grading. Mothers received a B+. Hong Kong parents were among the worst in Asia, with a C+ average - the same as Taiwanese parents. Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian parents received the top overall grades, scoring a B average. Hong Kong teenagers said their parents did a good job in working hard, loving their children unconditionally, providing a home where their children feel happy and safe, teaching them the difference between right and wrong and for making an effort to remember or celebrate their birthdays. On the other hand, the children said their parents did not have a clue about fashion and were not good at educating them about sex, helping them with their homework, giving advice without lecturing or preaching, or talking things through without losing their temper. 'I was not too surprised by the results,' said Shirley Loo, development director of Family Heartware, a Christian organisation focusing on family relations. 'Hong Kong parents provide enough 'hardware' for their children, for example, pocket money, clothes and toys. But there's not enough 'software', such as love, care and time. Many parents are lenient because they don't want to offend their children. But some teenagers actually told me they would like their parents to have higher expectations.' One in four of Hong Kong respondents said their father knew their best friends' names; one in three said their dads listened to and understood them; fewer than half said their father knew what was going on in their lives or showed them affection. Mothers fared much better in these areas. 'As most fathers need to go to work, it is understandable that they scored much lower than their wives,' Ms Loo said. 'Having said that, fathers were rated higher for respecting children's privacy and allowing them to be independent.' The children were asked what they would do differently when they become parents. A 15-year-old boy from Hong Kong said: 'I will listen to my kids and play with them more often. I will also try my best to answer their questions and give them more freedom.' Ms Loo encouraged parents and children to open up to and communicate with each other.
