Results of the Elementary School Teachers' Union Survey
Digital Devices Such as Smartphones Rank First
Last Year's Top Choice, "Cash or Gift Certificates," Drops to Fourth Place This Year
One out of five children selected digital devices such as smartphones or tablet PCs as the gift they most wanted to receive for Children's Day.
The Elementary School Teachers' Union released the results of a perception survey on May 5, conducted from April 7 to 24 among 1,844 third- to sixth-grade students at elementary schools across 17 cities and provinces nationwide in celebration of Children's Day. The most common response to the question "What gift do you most want to receive from your family on Children's Day?" was "digital devices" (19.1%). This was followed by "spending time with family" (17.0%) and "a pet" (16.9%). "Cash or gift certificates," which ranked first in last year's survey, dropped to fourth place this year at 11.8%.
A child is choosing a toy at a toy store in a large supermarket in downtown Seoul on the 4th, one day before Children's Day. Photo by Yonhap News
When asked what they most wanted to do on Children's Day, the top answer was "traveling with family" (33.6%). This was followed by "receiving a gift I wanted" (29%), "free time" (10.8%), and "going to an amusement park" (10.3%).
Nearly half of the children (48.1%) chose "a harmonious family" as the most important factor for happiness. Other frequent answers included "a warm heart" (13.3%) and "money" (12.5%). When asked whom they talk to when they are struggling (multiple answers allowed), "mother" was overwhelmingly chosen at 70.5%. This was followed by "friends" and "father," both at 42.5%. In addition, children hoped that their family, friends, and teachers would show them "trust" (21.5%), "understanding" (21.9%), and "love" (21.4%).
When asked what kind of adult they wanted to become, children most often answered "a kind and good person" (22.5%), "an adult who doesn't give up even when it's hard" (20.9%), and "a cheerful adult who laughs a lot" (17.4%). The most common answer for "the most difficult thing at home" was "fighting with siblings" (27.9%), followed by "homework and studying at private academies" (19.4%) and "not having enough playtime" (14.4%). After school, the place children most wanted to go was "home" (80.5%), followed by "the playground or sports field" (41.0%) and "private academy" (18.5%).
In the open-ended question about "the words they most want to hear from their parents," the most common answer was "I love you." The words they most wanted to hear from their teachers were phrases that recognize and encourage their efforts, such as "well done" and "you're doing great."
The value that children considered most important for the future of South Korea was "a peaceful life without war or crime" (29%). Other frequent answers included "educational opportunities where all children can pursue their dreams" (25.1%) and "equal treatment without discrimination or hate" (18.9%).
Jung Sugyeong, president of the Elementary School Teachers' Union, stated, "This survey confirmed that what children truly desire is 'time with family,' 'emotional stability,' and 'respect.' It has become an opportunity to reflect on whether adults are pushing care and education policies centered around adults while excluding children's opinions. I hope our society becomes one that listens to the voices of children."
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