Basic Survey on Child Rearing in Japan I
PICKUP DATA 5 Raising children is fun when children are thoughtful. Mothers are satisfied with their child's development (Table 5).
Table5
When Mothers Enjoy Raising Children (very much + a little)
| % |
| |
Think so very much |
Think so a little |
| When children are thoughtful |
89.9 |
9.4 |
| When I feel that my children have matured |
83.2 |
15.1 |
| When I watch my children sleeping |
82.7 |
15.2 |
| When the entire family enjoys time together |
74.6 |
23.0 |
| When my children talk about their school life |
56.0 |
39.7 |
| When I watch my children playing sports or taking part in recitals |
57.6 |
34.7 |
| When I play with my children |
40.2 |
50.5 |
| When I participate in school events such as school visits or Sports Day |
52.5 |
38.1 |
| When I feel that I have developed through my children |
48.1 |
36.2 |
| When I go out with my children |
34.0 |
49.0 |
| When I see my children absorbed in play |
30.6 |
47.4 |
| When I buy clothes and toys for my children |
29.4 |
47.2 |
|
Mothers are satisfied with their child's development and enjoy raising children.
Many mothers enjoy raising children when (1) their children are thoughtful (89.9%), (2) they feel that their children have matured (83.2%), and (3) when they watch their children sleeping (82.7%). In other words, they enjoy raising children and appreciate their children more when their children are thoughtful or when they assess their children objectively, rather than when they are taking care of them or when they feel they have learned something themselves.
Sense of enjoyment changes as children get older
More mothers enjoy raising children more as children get older because they can go out together. A smaller percentage of mothers feel a sense of enjoyment when they see their children playing, when they watch their children sleeping, and when their children talk about their school life.
Mothers of the pre-school children in the lower grade enjoy raising children when their children talk about their pre-school life. Mothers of children in the upper grade enjoy raising children when they watch their children playing sports and taking part in recitals. |
PICKUP DATA 6 High satisfaction as mothers
High satisfaction as a mother > a wife > a human being > a working woman
High satisfaction as mothers (Table 6-1)
Table6-1
Degree of Satisfaction
| (%) |
| |
Very |
Somewhat |
Not very satisfied |
Not satisfied at all |
| As a mother |
10.8 |
62.7 |
22.7 |
3.8 |
| As a wife |
9.2 |
56.5 |
27.1 |
7.2 |
| As a working woman |
5.5 |
32.6 |
34.0 |
27.9 |
| As a human being |
5.3 |
54.4 |
34.7 |
5.6 |
Mothers were asked about their degree of satisfaction as a mother, a wife, a working woman, and a human being. 60% of the respondents were housewives. 73.5% were satisfied as a mother; 65.7% as a wife, 59.7% as a human being and 38.1% as a working woman. Mothers of pre-school children and children in the lower primary grades were more satisfied with themselves as mothers.
Part-time and full-time working mothers balance work, children and husbands well (Table 6-2).
Table6-2
Satisfaction by Working Status
| (%) |
| Housewives |
|
| As a mother |
76.4 |
| As a wife |
69.2 |
| As a working woman |
20.3 |
| As a human being |
58.5 |
| Part-time workers |
|
| As a mother |
70.2 |
| As a wife |
60.7 |
| As a working woman |
53.7 |
| As a human being |
60.6 |
| Full-time workers |
|
| As a mother |
65.8 |
| As a wife |
59.6 |
| As a working woman |
76.8 |
| As a human being |
66.0 |
The survey analyzed the degree of satisfaction by working status from three perspectives: as a working woman, as a wife, and as a mother. The table shows the degree of satisfaction (very much + pretty well). Overall, part-time and full-time working mothers have a good balance in their lives. |
PICKUP DATA 7 Mothers want children to clean up after themselves. Mothers of boys want higher degree of independence.
Higher degree of independence in toilet and eating habits (Table 7-1)
Table7-1
Daily Habits
| (%) |
| |
Children are able to do it by themselves |
Parents sometimes help or give verbal directions |
Parents often help or give verbal directions |
Parents do most of it |
Children cannot yet do it by themselves |
| A. Get up in the morning and go to bed at night regularly |
15.9 |
34.2 |
35.7 |
10.2 |
4.0 |
| B. Greet and thank family members and others |
22.5 |
53.0 |
21.5 |
2.1 |
0.9 |
| C. Go to the toilet |
68.4 |
24.3 |
5.6 |
1.3 |
0.4 |
| D. Proper and polite table manners |
39.8 |
45.2 |
13.0 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
| E. Brush teeth |
32.7 |
38.7 |
21.4 |
6.3 |
0.9 |
| F. Take a bath |
37.6 |
30.8 |
16.3 |
13.7 |
1.6 |
| G. Tidy up the room after playing |
17.0 |
41.2 |
32.6 |
8.4 |
0.8 |
| H. Help with housework |
14.3 |
33.5 |
18.5 |
27.2 |
6.5 |
| I. Prepare for the following day |
20.5 |
25.8 |
16.6 |
24.1 |
13.0 |
| J. Keep promises |
20.9 |
36.6 |
25.7 |
7.1 |
9.7 |
68.4% of mothers said that their children can go to toilet themselves, while 39.8% of them said that the children can eat properly and politely. On the other hand, 27.2% said that they do almost all the housework themselves. 24.1% prepare for the following day for their children.
Parents want boys to be more independent (Table 7-2)
Table7-2
Areas in which Mothers Want Higher Independence
| (%) |
| G. Tidy the room after playing |
59.2 |
| B. Greet and thank family members and others |
34.3 |
| A. Get up in the morning and go to bed at night regularly |
32.6 |
| D. Proper and polite table manners |
24.1 |
| J. Keep promises |
22.8 |
| I. Prepare for the following day |
21.4 |
| E. Brush teeth |
17.8 |
| H. Help with housework |
12.2 |
| C. Go to the toilet |
11.7 |
| F. Take a bath |
8.1 |
Many children cannot go to bed early at night and get up early in the morning, or tidy up the room by themselves after playing. Parents want their children to improve in these areas.
Parents of boys want them to be more independent, partly because a smaller number of boys have good table manners and are able to brush their teeth on their own. |
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