60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll
March 12-16, 2014
The Perfect Child

At which age do you think a child is most perfect?
It’s all downhill after birth.
Nearly four in 10 Americans say the point where a child is most perfect is straight out of the
womb. 38% think new born is the age when a child is the most perfect- the top choice - ahead
of toddler (15%) and the first day of elementary school (12%). Some Americans, however, do
think a child gets better as they age. 16% think a child is most perfect when they move out of
the house for good.
What Age is a Child Most Perfect?
Total
Parents kids <18
When they’re a new born
38%
35%
When they’re a toddler
15
18
1st Day of elementary school
12
17
When they leave the house for good
16
9
Always perfect (vol.)
7
12

Non-Parents
39%
13
10
20
5
If technology allowed you to decide what genetic traits your children would have - such
as how they looked and what type of personality they had - would you: pick your child’s
genetic traits, or leave your child’s genetic traits up to nature?
Most parents would leave genetics up to nature.
Though scientists seem to be on the verge of unearthing all the secrets of the human genome,
most Americans would leave genetics up to nature, at least when it comes to things like looks
and personality. An overwhelming 83% of Americans (and 89% of parents with children under
18 in their household) say they would not pick their child’s genetic traits if technology allowed
them to do so. Just 12% say they would.
Would You Pick Your Child’s Genetic Traits if You Could?
Total
Parents kids <18
Non-Parents
Yes, pick their traits
12%
7%
14%
No, leave it up to nature
83
89
81

In general, should children be allowed to choose what religion they practice, or should
children practice the same religion as their parents?
Children should find their own spiritual path.
Most Americans think children should be allowed to choose what religion they practice,
regardless of whether or not they are religious themselves. 71% of Americans think children
should be allowed to choose, while just 26% think children should practice the same religion as
their parents.
Most Americans who consider themselves evangelical Christians also think children should get
to choose, but they are less enthusiastic about the idea. 66% of evangelical Christians think
children should be allowed to choose their own religion, compared to 74% of non-Evangelicals.
On Practicing Religion, Children Should…
Total
Evangelicals
Choose their own
71%
66%
Practice the same as parents
26
30

Non-Evangelicals
74%
25
Do you think spanking is sometimes an acceptable way to discipline a child, or do you
think spanking is never acceptable?
Most Americans say you don’t have to spare the rod.
Although child-rearing experts are increasingly advocating giving up spanking in favor of “timeouts”, most Americans still think spanking is sometimes an acceptable way to discipline a child.
72% think spanking is sometimes acceptable, while far fewer – just 23% - think spanking is
never acceptable.
Republicans are more accepting of spankings than Democrats. Democrats (30%) are twice as
likely as Republicans (15%) to say spanking is never acceptable, and Americans 50 and under
are more likely to say spanking is never acceptable (25%) than those over 50 (20%) – though
majorities of all age groups think it’s sometimes okay.
Sometimes acceptable
Never acceptable
Spanking Your Child is…
Total
Reps Dems Ind
72%
83% 67% 71%
23
15
30
22
Under 50
69%
25
50+
76%
20

Which of the following instances of a child behaving badly can most likely be blamed on
bad parenting? 1. Picking on other kids at school, 2. Crying or kicking the seat in front of
them on a plane, 3. Being a poor sport after a sporting event, 4. Being rude or
disrespectful to an adult or 5. Not sharing with other kids.
If a child is rude to you, blame the parents.
There may be something innate in kids having meltdowns or treating each other badly, but for
many Americans, if children are rude to adults it’s the parents’ fault. When asked which
behavior could most likely be blamed on bad parenting, 40% picked being rude to an adult, far
ahead of picking on other kids at school (10%), crying or kicking the seat in front of them on a
plane (5%), being a poor sport after a sporting event (4%), or not sharing with other kids (4%).
A third, however, didn’t think any one of these examples of bad behavior signified bad parenting
more than any other.
Which Type of Bad Behavior Can
Most be Blamed on the Parents?
Total
Parents
Being rude to adults
40%
43%
Picking on other kids
10
10
Acting up on a plane
5
6
Being a poor sport
4
6
Not sharing
4
3
All of these/none of these (vol.)
33
30

Non-parents
39%
10
5
3
4
34
Suppose your child came home from a play date and told you their friend’s parent had
yelled at them because the children were arguing. Which one of the following would you
most likely do…1. Assume your child deserved it and drop the matter. 2. Call the parent
and tell them not to discipline your child, or 3. Say nothing, but avoid making play dates
with that child in the future.
Many Americans – and most Democrats - don’t like other parents disciplining their children.
It is age-old advice to listen to your elders, but if a parent scolds someone else’s child, they may
hear about it. Many Americans say they would react negatively if their child told them that
another parent yelled at them: 31% say they would call the parent and tell them not to discipline
their child, while 17% would take a more passive aggressive approach by saying nothing but
avoiding having their children play together in the future. A third – 33% - would assume their
child was in the wrong and drop the matter.
Republicans have different ideas than Democrats on this matter. Republicans are far more
likely to assume their child was wrong and drop the matter (42%) than call the other parent
(22%), while Democrats are more likely to complain (37%) than assume their child was in the
wrong (28%).
What Would You Do if Another Parent Disciplined Your Child?
Total
Reps Dems Ind
Drop the matter
33%
42% 28% 32%
Tell them not to do it
31
22
37
31
Say nothing, and avoid them
17
17
17
17

Which do you think would worry you more? Your child riding a bike or skateboard
without a helmet, or your child on the internet with no adult supervision?
Parents more worried about dangerous activity online than outdoors.
It isn’t physical danger that parents may worry the most about for their child. Two thirds of
parents with children under 18 living in their household say that their child surfing the internet
unsupervised (66%) was more worrisome than the physical harm that might be incurred by
biking or skateboarding without a helmet (27%). Americans overall feel similarly.
There are political differences when it comes to fear of the internet. While 67% of Republicans
and 68% of independents say their child surfing the internet would worry them more, fewer
(58%) Democrats agree.
Which Child Activity Would Worry You More?
Total
Parents
Reps Dems Ind
Biking/skateboarding without a helmet
28%
27%
25% 37% 25%
Unsupervised internet surfing
65
66
67
58
68

Which one of the following would you most like to hear about your child from their
school? 1. They are the best student in their class. 2. They are the best athlete on their
team, 3. They are the most popular student in their grade. 4. They are the most polite
child in the school.
For parents, good behavior at school is better than good grades.
Despite fears of American students falling behind other countries, Americans seem to think
good behavior is just as important as good grades. 43% of Americans say they would most like
to hear that their child was the most polite child in the school, the same percentage (43%) that
says they would most like to hear that their child was the best student. Ignoring the possible
links between networking and career advancement, just 6% would be most impressed to find
out their child was the most popular kid in the school, just ahead of best athlete (4%).
For parents, politeness wins hands down. 50% of parents with children under 18 say they’d
most like to hear their child was the most polite kid in the school, ahead of best student by nine
points (41%).
What Would You Most Like to Hear About Your Child at School?
Total
Parents
Non-parents
Most polite in school
43%
50%
40%
Best student in class
43
41
44
Most popular in grade
6
3
7
Best athlete on team
4
4
4

If your teenaged child was arrested for something that was clearly their fault, would you
bail them out or would you let them spend the night in jail?
Let those teenaged delinquents spend the night behind bars.
If their teenager broke the law, most Americans would like the law to take its course, at least for
a night. 65% of Americans (and 68% of parents of children under 18) say that if their teenager
was arrested for something that was clearly their fault, they would let them spend the night in jail
rather than bail them out. 26% say they would pay the bail and bring them home.
Moms are far more unforgiving than dads on this. 76% of moms say they would let their child
spend the night in jail rather than pay their bail, compared to 57% of dads.
Would You Bail Your Teenager Out of a Night in Jail?
Total
Parents
Moms
Bail them out
26%
23%
17%
Let them spend the night
65
68
76

Dads
30%
57
Which of the following fictional children would you most like to have as your own child?
Harry Potter is the fictional child the more Americans would like to have as their own.
At the risk of being called a muggle by their own offspring, Americans pick English orphan Harry
Potter from the Harry Potter series as the fictional child they would most like to have as their
own. But the competition is close: 15% of Americans pick Potter, just ahead of the precocious
American baby boomer Beaver Cleaver from the early sitcom Leave it to Beaver (14%), while
“The Beav” edges out another English child with magical abilities – Roald Dahl’s Matilda (13%).
11% each pick Little Orphan Annie and Marsha Brady, while few Americans seem charmed by
academic achievement. The two brainiest choices – Lisa Simpson (9%) and Steve Urkel (6%) –
are at the bottom of the list.
This list spans characters from different generations, and Americans respond differently
depending on age. While Matilda is the top choice of Millennials under 35 (26%), GenXers
between 35 and 44 are torn between Harry Potter (13%) and Lisa Simpson (13%). Baby
Boomers go for one of their own in Beaver Cleaver (23%), while Americans over 65 pick Little
Orphan Annie as their top choice (22%), who first appeared as comic strip in 1924.
Which Fictional Child Do You Most Wish Were Yours?
Total
18-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Harry Potter
15%
20% 13% 14% 14% 11%
Beaver Cleaver
14
6
11
18
23
16
Matilda
13
26
8
9
7
2
Little Orphan Annie
11
8
8
10
9
22
Marsha Brady
11
5
8
15
17
12
Lisa Simpson
9
14
13
3
7
4
Steve Urkel
6
7
10
7
4
2

Think about the extracurricular activities your child participates in such as music and
sports. On average, would you say you attend more of your child’s games and
performances than your parents did for you, less of your child’s games and
performances, or about the same amount as your parents did?
Parents today say they show up at more recitals and games than their parents did.
Parents are more active in their children’s activities today than their parents were – at least
according to them. 53% of parents of children under 18 living in their household say they attend
more of their children’s extracurricular activities – like music recitals and sporting events – than
their parents did for them. 39% say it is about the same amount, while 3% say their parents
attended more.
Compared to Your Parents, Do You Attend…?
(Among parents of children under 18)
Total
Dads
Moms
More of your child’s activities
53%
52%
54%
About the same amount
39
39
39
Less of your child’s activities
3
5
2

Which comes closest to how you feel about your own children? 1. I have a favorite, 2. I
have a favorite, but it changes from day to day, 3. All my children are always equal in my
eyes.
Parents say all their children are equal in their eyes.
If parents have a favorite child, most aren’t telling us. 90% of parents who have more than one
child in their household under the age of 18 say they view all their children equally. 8% say they
do have a favorite, but that favorite changes from day to day. Just 1% say they consistently
have a favorite child.
Do You Have a Favorite Child?
(Among parents with more than one child under 18)
I have a favorite
1%
My favorite changes day to day
8
All my children are equal
90
____________________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone from March 12-16, 2014 among 1,009 adults nationwide. Data
collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by Social Science Research Solutions of Media, PA.
Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to
sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus 3 percentage points. The error for
other subgroups may be higher. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. This poll release
conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
60 Minutes/Vanity Fair
Perfect Child
March 12-16 2014
VF-01. At which age do you think a child is most perfect?
When they’re a new born
When they’re a toddler
The first day of elementary school
When they leave the house for good
Always perfect/all ages (vol.)
Don’t know/No Answer
******** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ********
Total Male Fem Parent Non-Parent
%
%
%
%
%
38
34
42
35
39
15
15
14
18
13
12
14
11
17
10
16
20
13
9
20
7
6
8
12
5
11
12
11
10
12
VF-02. If technology allowed you to decide what genetic traits your children would have - such as how
they looked and what type of personality they had - would you: pick your child’s genetic traits, or leave
your child’s genetic traits up to nature?
Leave it up to nature
Pick genetic traits
Pick some/not others (vol.)
Don’t know/No Answer
83
12
*
4
79
16
1
4
88
8
-4
89
7
-3
81
14
-5
VF-03. In general, should children be allowed to choose what religion they practice, or should children
practice the same religion as their parents?
Children choose
Same as parents
Shouldn’t practice religion (vol.)
Don’t know/No Answer
71
26
*
3
72
25
*
3
70
26
-4
67
30
-3
73
24
-4
VF-04. Do you think spanking is sometimes an acceptable way to discipline a child, or do you think
spanking is never acceptable?
Spanking is acceptable
Spanking is never acceptable
Don’t know/No Answer
72
23
5
75
22
3
69
24
7
70
23
7
73
23
4
7
VF-05. Which of the following instances of a child behaving badly can most likely be blamed on bad
parenting?
******** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ********
Total
Male Fem Parent Non-Parent
%
%
%
%
%
Being rude or disrespectful to an adult
40
40
39
43
39
Picking on other kids at school
10
8
12
10
10
Crying or kicking the seat in front of them on a plane 5
5
5
6
5
Being a poor sport after a sporting event
4
3
4
6
3
Not sharing with other kids
4
3
5
3
4
All/None (vol.)
33
36
30
30
34
Don’t know/No Answer
5
5
5
3
6
VF-06. Suppose your child came home from a play date and told you their friend’s parent had yelled at
them because the children were arguing. Which one of the following would you most likely do…?
Assume your child deserved it and drop the matter
Call the parent and tell them
not to discipline your child
Say nothing, but avoid making playdates
with that child in the future
None of these (vol.)
Don’t know/No Answer
33
33
33
31
34
31
34
28
36
29
17
15
3
18
11
4
16
19
3
14
17
2
18
15
4
VF-07. Which do you think would worry you more? Your child riding a bike or skateboard without a
helmet, or Your child on the internet with no adult supervision?
Surfing the internet
Riding/skating without a helmet
Depends (vol.)
Don’t know/No Answer
65
28
3
3
65
28
3
4
65
29
3
3
66
27
4
4
65
29
3
3
VF-08. Which one of the following would you most like to hear about your child from their school?
They are the best student in their class
They are the most polite child in the school
They are the most popular student in their grade
They are the best athlete on their team
Don’t know/No Answer
43
43
6
4
5
44
41
6
5
4
42
44
6
3
5
41
50
3
4
3
44
40
7
4
5
VF-09. If your teenaged child was arrested for something that was clearly their fault, would you bail
them out or would you let them spend the night in jail?
Let them spend the night in jail
Bail them out
Depends (vol.)
Don’t know/No Answer
65
26
7
2
60
30
8
2
70
21
6
3
68
23
7
2
64
27
7
2
8
VF-10. Think about the extracurricular activities your child participates in such as music and sports. On
average, would you say you attend more of your child’s games and performances than your parents did
for you, less of your child’s games and performances, or about the same amount as your parents did?
More than own parents
Less than own parents
Same
Too young/no activities yet (vol.)
Don’t know/No Answer
** PARENTS OF CHILDREN <18 **
%
%
%
%
%
53
52
54
53
53
3
5
2
2
3
39
39
39
42
39
3
4
2
3
3
2
1
3
-2
VF-11. Which comes closest to how you feel about your own children?
*PARENTS OF MORE THAN ONE CHILD <18*
I have a favorite
1
1
1
1
I have a favorite, but it changes from day to day
8
5
10
8
All my children are always equal in my eyes
90
93
88
90
Don’t know/No Answer
1
1
-1
VF-12. Which of the following fictional children would you most like to have as your own child?
Harry Potter
Beaver Cleaver
Matilda
Little Orphan Annie
Marsha Brady
Lisa Simpson
Steve Urkel
Don’t know/No Answer
****** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ********
15
16
14
16
15
14
17
10
7
16
13
8
17
16
11
11
9
14
10
12
11
9
12
9
11
9
9
9
10
8
6
7
5
7
5
22
26
19
26
21
Total Respondents:
Total Parents or guardians of children under 18 in household:
Total Parents or guardians with more than one child under 18 in household:
1,009
238
139
9