In China, urban families are happier with their life and more satisfied than rural families.

 

Surveys show that whether in urban or rural areas, people agree that the five factors that determine the happiness of a family are "marital harmony", " health of family members", "filial children", "reasonable elders", and "basic material requirements", with "time for family get-togethers" also scoring highly.

 

Report shows that the husband-wife relationship is the key factor to family relationships, which is the most prominent factor affecting family happiness, followed by inter-generational relationships. The two main reasons for inter-generational tensions are "unreasonable parents-in-law" together with "inconsiderate children". “Family ties" impact much more on family well-being than factors such as "promising children" and "having a car and owning your home".

 

The survey sampled respondents in 10 provinces and cities from eastern, central and western China. Regional variances were apparent in terms of the contribution of material possessions to happiness. More families from eastern and central China value "family ties" over "having a car and owning your home", according to the report.

 

Urban and rural residents have common concerns such as pensions, government credibility, and social security, according to the report. To migrant people, ensuring a close family is of great importance.

 

In the past, short-term economic interest rather than family happiness was always the top consideration of the migrant population, said Zhai Zhenwu, dean of the Social and Population school in Renmin University of China. What has been overlooked is that long-term separation from family members harms both the children estranged from their parents and the elderly, and damages their inter-generational relationships. Zhai proposes that future urbanization programs should include protection mechanisms to ensure that the families of migrant workers are able to spend time together.

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