Note: Not for publication before 01:00 hours. Monday, December 19th 05
WHAT 10-YEAR-OLDS WANT
Give us money, fame football & music
but
Ban liars, litter, drunks, drugs & killers
Money and getting rich top the list of the very best things in the world for the under ten year olds, who place fame in second position and football in third. God takes up the number ten slot.
But the same children don’t plan to spend their wealth on smoking and drinking. Their very worst things in the world are drunk people and smoking, followed by litter and graffiti. War and bullies are also on the ‘worst’ list.
The nationwide research among over 2,500 children under the age of ten years was carried out through schools and via an on-line questionnaire by Luton First, sponsors and organisers of the second annual National Kids’Day, during the past two months. [
“The idea of the special Kids’ Day is to give pre-teens a national voice for their views and opinions in a very simple format,” say Tony Edwards of Luton First, a promotional consortium supported by The University of Luton, Luton Borough Council, London Luton Airport, Whitbread, Vauxhall, the Arndale Centre, and other organisations. “This particular age group has some very clear ideas of how the world could be changed for the better.”
Asked what rules they would make if they were king or queen of the world, the number one response was to ban lies and liars. And, in the wake of 24 hour drinking, they’d also ban getting drunk, fighting and killing. Furthermore they’d abolish drugs, knives, and guns but would also have more school holidays, pets that never die, free ice cream and sweets. They’d also ban stealing.
Cont…………2
2.
Nearly three quarters of the children questioned thought they would probably marry when they grow up although nearly a quarter gave a definite ‘No’. Most of them want to have children with the majority opting for one or two.
Perceptions of wealth vary greatly and, asked how much money was needed to be rich, the figures ranged from £460 to £200 million.
Nearly all have a ‘best friend’ and, for the vast majority of the 2,520 children questions, Saturday is the best day of the week.
An additional vox pops among 630 children posed the question who is the most famous person in all the world? God topped the list, narrowly beating Wayne Rooney and Jesus. Also on the list were David Beckham, The Queen, Harry Potter, Robbie Williams, Father Christmas, Ant & Dec and Simon Cowell.
HOW THE UNDER TENS ANSWERED
1] WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE VERY BEST THING IN THE WORLD?
1. Money and getting rich
2. Being famous
3. Football
4. Pop music
5. Animals
6. Families
7. Computer games
8. Holidays by the sea
9. Nice food
10. God
2] WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE VERY WORST THING IN THE WORLD?
1. Drunk People
2. Smoking
3. Litter
4. Graffiti
5. War
6. Bullies
7. Illness
8. Shopping
9. Having nothing to do
10. Nightmares
Cont…………3
3.
3] IF YOU WERE KING OR QUEEN OF THE WORLD, WHAT RULES WOULD YOU MAKE?
1. No telling lies to anyone
2. No getting drunk
3. No fighting or killing
4. No drugs
5. No knives and guns
6. More holidays off school
7. Everlasting pets that never die
8. More fields to play in
9. Free ice cream and sweets
10. No stealing
4] DO YOU THINK YOU WILL GET MARRIED WHEN YOU GROW UP?
YES 72%
NO 23%
UNSURE 5%
5] DO YOU THINK YOU WILL HAVE CHILDREN?
YES 81%
NO 17%
UNSURE 2%
6] HOW MANY CHILDREN WOULD YOU LIKE?
ONE 22%
TWO 38% percentage of 81%
THREE 18%
MORE 3%
7] HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED TO BE RICH?
Estimates range from £460 to £200 million
Cont………..4
4.
8] DO YOU HAVE A BEST FRIEND?
YES 93%
NO Zero
UNSURE 7%
9] WHY ARE THEY YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Top Ten Reasons Given
1. They help me.
2. They play with me.
3. They are cool.
4. They never hurt me.
5. They are funny and make me laugh.
6. They are kind.
7. They protect me from bullies.
8. They have good toys.
9. We are in love.
10.We go round to each other’s houses.
10] WHICH DAY OF THE WEEK DO YOU LIKE MOST – AND WHY?
Top Reponses
1. Saturday - because there’s no school.
I go to watch football.
I can stay up late.
We go shopping.
2. Friday - because there’s no school the next day.
I get pocket money.
I get rewards for being good at school.
We go swimming. [Thursdays and Fridays]
- Weekdays –
Specific days considered good because of certain lessons.
The on-line voting was at
Cont……….5
5.
An additional vox pops among 630 children posed the question
11] WHO IS THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON IN ALL THE WORLD?
1. God.
2. Wayne Rooney.
3. Jesus.
4. David Beckham.
5. The Queen.
6. Harry Potter.
7. Beyonce
8. Father Christmas.
9. Robbie Williams
10. Simon Cowell.
Issued on behalf of NATIONAL KIDS’ DAY – lutonfirst
By Tony Edwards
ANTHONY EDWARDS PUBLICITY
Tel 01932 336161 Fax 01932 336131
Mobile 0771-002-5957 December 16th 2005.