Parents generally consider the most important life skills for junior secondary school students are for them to get on well with others and manage their emotions, a Committee on Home-School Co-operation survey has found.

Other essential life skills, in order of importance, are:

* keeping up appearances;

* effective time management;

* taking the initiative in learning;

* information technology knowledge;

* developing potential;

* finance management; and,

* helping with household chores.

The survey, conducted between April 27 and May 17, interviewed 535 people - 70% were women (half working mothers). The majority of the men were working fathers.

More than 70% of the respondents had received secondary education or above, and 10% had attained post-secondary level or higher.

Housework 

Respondents were particularly interested in the performance of their children, aged 12 to 15, in time and finance management, self-learning and housework. Most parents were satisfied with their children's performance in the first three areas, however they said their children seldom helped with housework, and half added that their children never cooked meals or did the laundry.

Committee on Home-School Co-operation Chairman Wong Po-choi said all the above-mentioned life skills are equally important and parents should not neglect any one of them.

"For example, if parents attach little importance to their children's ability of doing housework and do not give them encouragement; naturally, their children would not have good performance in this aspect. It is important for parents to understand that children can have greater confidence, develop a stronger sense of responsibility and belonging to their family through assisting with household chores. All these attributes are essential to their children's growth," he said.

Suitable activities 

Committee Vice-chairman Sandra Tsang urged parents to nurture their children's life skills through summer activities.

"For children with weaker self-discipline, their parents should employ positive reinforcement by helping the children draw up a timetable for the school summer holidays, and encouraging them to improve their daily habits. Moreover, parents can make good use of the community facilities and resources to enhance their children's interest in learning and their self-learning ability," she said.

Parent-teacher associations can also launch the Children Assisting with Housework Programme, which is beneficial to their children's learning and development.

The survey's executive summary will be uploaded here.