What’s best for your grandchildren: Money or happiness; public or private?

The majority of grandparents are involved in their grandchildren’s everyday lives and offer opinions. Our children factor in our thoughts about what to do and ask our advice, so the results from a new study may shock you – and we want to know your opinion.

According to new research from The Military Preparation College, one in five parents want their child to be successful and wealthy, versus happy and healthy in adulthood. The study of 2,000 parents of children aged between four and 18 showed how imperative a child’s perceived success is the parents. Is this the same for you as a grandparent?

Despite more than 20 per cent wanting their children to study hard for a good job, 70 per cent of parents believed life skills would get their child further in like than academia. Luckily, around three quarters of parents did want their children’s personality and qualities to be more important than their qualifications.

The study also showed that one in six parents worried that their child will be unemployed, while one in 10 worry their child may be lazy as they get older. Parents were asked to define happiness and ranked healthiness, feeling loved and having family as important, but also having a good career and having money were important. Are these setting high expectations and societal standards for our grandchildren? Or is it normal to want the best of everything for your children?

On the subject of what’s best for our grandchildren, we’ll turn our attention now to a new report that found a private school education is no better than public. Australian research has revealed that a private school education is not giving students an academic advantage over those who attend public school.

Research from UQ, USQ and Curtin University showed there is little to no different between the school systems and once more privileged backgrounds of private school students are taken into account, they fare no better in the education system than other children, the ABC reports.

Co-author of the study, Professor Luke Connelly, said this is the first study of its kind for Australia that shows at [primary school] age that there are no differences between Catholic, independent and public schools.

Interesting, there are actually some poorer outcomes for kids at Catholic schools.

So tell us tonight, what is more important money or happiness in your grandchild’s future? What type of school did you go to? Public or private? Do you believe it was superior to the other?