CHICAGO, IL -- Only 37% of Americans believe today's children, once grown, will make this country a better place, according to Kids These Days: What Americans Really Think About The Next Generation, a new public opinion study released today by Public Agenda. Across all demographic groups, the public is intensely concerned about the moral and ethical development of America's youngsters and see these problems as widespread, affecting families of all income levels. Americans believe parents are fundamentally responsible for ensuring their children grow up with the right values, yet only one in five say it is very common for parents to be good role models and teach their children right from wrong.

Kids These Days was conducted for Ronald McDonald House Charities and The Advertising Council -- both organizations are committed to improving the lives of children. The study also explores how people feel these problems should be addressed and what solutions they are willing to support.

This groundbreaking research is a 'wake-up' call to many in the non-profit arena who want to make a profound impact on childrens' lives, said Ken Barun, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities. While these findings are sobering, the study will help us understand and address those roadblocks to getting more people involved in finding solutions, Barun added.

Not only do the majority of Americans describe teens in negative terms, they also are surprisingly critical of children (defined for this study as being 5 to 12 year olds). When asked what first comes to mind when they think about today's teenagers, Americans use adjectives such as rude, irresponsible, and wild, while younger children are characterized as lacking discipline and spoiled. Only 12% of Americans, for example, say it is very common for kids to treat people with respect, a view shared by white (8%), Hispanic (11%) and African-American (17%) parents.

Americans are frightened for and in some cases frightened of our children and fault parents for the problems they see, said Deborah Wadsworth, Executive Director of Public Agenda. The public does acknowledge how difficult it is to be a parent in today's world, but is riveted by one goal -- the necessity of teaching all children the values of integrity, ethical behavior, concern for others, respect, civility, compassion, and responsibility, added Wadsworth.

Even parents themselves are critical of the job parents are doing. The majority of parents say couples break up their marriages too easily, instead of trying to stay together for their kids, and 58% of black, 50% of white, and 49% of Hispanic parents say parents who fail to discipline their children are very common. The public acknowledges the difficulties families face with four in five saying it is much harder for parents to do their job these days. Seven in ten Americans consider drug and alcohol abuse, and excessive violence and sex on television and in the movies as very serious problems. Sixty-two percent feel crime and gangs are serious threats to kids. But although the public believes these are tough times to be a parent, they ultimately feel parents are not rising to meet the challenge.

SOLUTIONS WITH PROMISE

Notwithstanding the public's bitter criticism of kids, Americans refuse to write them off as unsalvageable and are clear on what needs to be done to help them. First and foremost, people believe children thrive when their parents care for them and teach them right from wrong. Then they look to schools to supplement and reinforce the values they believe parents should provide; two-thirds say improving the public schools would be a very effective way to help young people. Support for after-school programs, volunteer organizations such as the Boy Scouts, and tougher measures to keep kids off the street, is also strong. Americans rank government funding for child and health care programs at the bottom of a list of twelve items that would be very effective in helping kids, in part because such programs do not speak to their primary concerns about children's moral development.

What is key is Americans don't want to give up on kids and believe in programs that will develop young people's character. Our efforts will focus on mobilizing Americans to volunteer in ways that will address their concerns and meet the needs of our nation's youth, said Ruth Wooden, President of The Advertising Council.

Kids These Days also measured the views of 12 to 17 year olds. Most of America's adolescents report they themselves are doing well, and 66% say faith in God is an important part of my life. But 49% also feel most kids their age need more guidance and attention from adults. Only 39% say parents who are good role models and teach their kids right from wrong are very common. Seven in ten also say they usually hang out with friends without anything specific to do. Few feel they are respectful toward each other or toward adults, and only one-third think they will make the country a better place.

Kids These Days, the initial phase of a multi-year research effort, is based on two telephone surveys within the continental United States. This first is a survey of 2,000 randomly selected adults aged 18 years or older, plus oversamples of 300 African-American and 300 Hispanic parents (margin of error for the 2,000 is plus or minus 2%). The second is a survey of 600 randomly selected young people aged 12 to 17 years old (margin of error is plus or minus 4%). Both surveys were conducted in December of 1996. In addition, Public Agenda conducted six focus groups in sites across the country, as well as dozens of in-depth, follow-up telephone interviews with adults who had completed the survey.

Americans' Views Toward Kids

• Sixty-one percent of Americans think youngsters' failure to learn such values as honesty, respect, and responsibility is a very serious problem.
• Nine in ten Americans say the failure to learn values is widespread; only 8% say it mostly affects kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Sixty-five percent of Americans who say they have a lot of contact with teenagers describe teens disapprovingly.
• Sixty-three percent of black, 61% of Hispanic, and 49% of white parents say teens getting into trouble because they have too much free time is very common.
• Only 12% think it's very common for teens to be friendly or helpful toward neighbors.

Americans' Views Toward Parents 

• Sixty-three percent of Americans say it is very common for parents to have children before they are ready to take responsibility for them.
• Fifty percent of the general public, and 51% of parents, say it is very common for parents to equate buying things for children to caring for them.
• Only 19% of parents think it's very common for parents to be good role models and teach their kids right from wrong.
• Four in ten parents, the same as for the general public, say parents who resent advice about their kids are very common.
• But 51% of Americans say parents who sacrifice and work hard for their kids are very common; and 3 in 4 believe mothers who have to give up time with their kids to work and make ends meet is very common.

Kids' Views Toward Kids

• Forty-one percent of adolescents say they see people their age using drugs or alcohol every or almost every day.
• Thirty-three percent of adolescents say there is no adult at home when they return from school.
• Six in ten believe most or all people their age pay too much attention to their appearance.
• Sixty-five percent say they get a compliment or encouraging word from adults every or almost every day.
• Seven in ten believe people should help others because it's the right thing to do; 69% say someone who gets help should express their gratitude.

Americans' Attitude Toward Helping

• Three in four Americans strongly believe helping others is the right thing to do.
• Sixty percent say people who receive help should show appreciation.
• Fifty-one percent feel those who benefit from help should return the favor if they can.
• Nearly half say they would be very comfortable volunteering to be a mentor.

The principal researcher and author of Kids These Days was Steve Farkas, Public Agenda Vice President and Director of Research. For information on how to obtain a copy of Kids These Days, contact Public Agenda by phone (212/686-6610), fax (212/889-3461) or E-mail (shasan@publicagenda.org).

Public Agenda is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public opinion research and education organization working to help citizens better understand complex policy issues and to help the nation's leaders better understand the public's point of view. It was founded in 1975 by Daniel Yankelovich and Cyrus Vance.

The Advertising Council, founded in 1942 and the largest source of public service advertising in the nation, has made a 10-year commitment to focus the majority of its resources on developing campaigns which improve the circumstances of children in this country. As part of Commitment 2000: Raising a Better Tomorrow, the Council will develop hundreds of ads on a variety of different topics which will benefit children.

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) has made a $100 million commitment over the next five years to fund programs that provide comfort and care to children and families. RMHC will use this important research to help guide its giving, and it will be shared with people and organizations on the frontlines advocating for at-risk children, including national and grassroots philanthropic organizations, as well as community and church leaders.