An Insight of My Relationship with the Children from 2016 Prudential Relationship Index

I am blessed and thankful to be a mother of 2 lovely girls, they are my source of satisfaction and happiness in my life. Both hubby and I have always try to build a strong relationship amongst us and the kids by giving them the best we can. However, is this enough?

Last week, I came across the 2016 Prudential Relationship Index while browsing through the Internet. I decided to download the FREE 2016 Prudential Relationship Index to know further. Prudential has launched the inaugural 2016 Prudential Relationship Index (PRI) to understand the state of personal relationships in Malaysia and throughout Asia. These include relationships with partners, children, parents, friends and relatives. A score of 100 on the PRI means that a person’s primary relationship delivers 100% of what they want from that relationship. Malaysia ranks 5th equal out of 10 countries in Asia in the 2016 Prudential Relationship Index with a score of 71/100, not too bad huh.

It is a good read as I got to know that 69% of the adults surveyed in Malaysia are parents, and on average, each parent has two children, just like me.

The overall relationship score that Malaysian parents have with their children is 52/100, higher than the average scores for the region (48/100) which is good. Malays have relatively strong relationships with their children (54/100), as compared with Malaysian Chinese (49/100).

Malaysian parents want to enjoy companionship with their children; they most value doing things together with their children (65%). As the children grow up, hubby and I always try to arrange more time to company the kids. However, as a working dad and a working mom, we do not have much time to bond together. We have tried to arrange family vacation whenever possible so that we could spend time together. We had some wonderful moment at Taiwan, Japan, Bangkok, Penang, Langkawi, and other places throughout the years. We like to share the lovely memory and we wish to create more precious time together.

Parents in Malaysia place great emphasis on companionship with their children. Almost two-thirds (65%) think is important in relationships that they do things together with their children. They also value when their children make them laugh or smile from within (64%). Malay parents place are likely to emphasise that their children grow up to have the same religion (60%).

Almost three-quarters (74%) of Parents in Malaysia say that their children make them laugh or smile. 72% of all Malaysians think that their children share their religion, and 70% say that their children are honest with them. As a traditional Chinese, we are Buddhist and we share the common believes in Buddhist. My kids are behaving most of the time and they will tell me whenever they did something wrong because I chose to listen and encourage them.

72% of Malaysians say that their children say thank you at least once a week for what they do for them. Children showing gratitude is one aspect that is linked with good relationships – Malaysians with children who say thank you each week have relationship scores with their children eight points higher than those whose children show gratitude less often. As for me, my girls thank me almost every other day not because I buy gifts to them, but by showing my love with them.

One-third (33%) of Malaysians think that their children misbehave every week – one of the higher proportions in the region, after only parents surveyed in Singapore. 31% of Malaysians argue with their children every week. I agree that when the kids grow up, they have their own thinking and we should not manipulate them. Just like my 8 year-old, she begins to have her own ego and thought, where we are not agree sometimes. She would showed her temper when we break the mutual agreement and sometimes we could not control but to argue with her. Though it is not happening every week but I think it’s time to respect her as an individual and let her have her own thoughts.

I also took part in the FREE Relationship Quiz to find out my relationship results with my kids. There were a few questions asked including Interactions with children done at least once a week, You spend at least one hour talking, Makes me laugh/smile from within, You tell them that you love them, Easy to get along with, They say thank you for the things you do, Is honest with me, You clean up after them, Similar religious beliefs as mine, Will stand up for me, You tell them off, Has a calming effect on me, Frequently interacts with me, They misbehave, You argue with him or her, Enjoys being physically close to me. I am proud to answer that I am positive with most of the questions above and hence my results is #WARMLYFAMILIAR that means I am boding well with the kid.

From 2016 Prudential Relationship Index, it is showing that More than three-quarters (78%) of parents help their children with education at least once every week, including 48% who do so every day. This happens to me especially when my girl enrolls into Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina, the local government Primary school. She has a lot of home works every day, sometime even more than 10 home works a day. I have tried my best to help her in her home work every day after work.

77% of Malaysians with young children arrange some form of extracurricular activities for them. Malaysian Chinese are particularly keen on extra-curricular activities, with 82% arranging at least one activity for their children – one of the highest proportions for the region, only after parents surveyed in Hong Kong and China. Malaysian Chinese are also the most likely to arrange multiple activities – each child does on average 2.2 different extracurricular activities, the highest average in any of the countries surveyed in Asia. 

Although I have a hectic schedule, I still enroll my elder one to Piano and Math class during the weekends. I have also plan to enroll my younger one to dancing class and art class because she loves it. I trust that these extra-curricular activities would benefits my girls in their life.

I love this video and it’s summaries the relationship well in the 2.45 minutes video.

You could too download the 2016 Prudential Relationship Index from https://www.prudentialrelationshipindex.com/my/en/relationship-index-download

For more information on Prudential Relationship Index, visit https://www.prudentialrelationshipindex.com/my/