For Most Kids, Nice Finishes Last

NPR's All Things Considered discussed Making Caring Common's new research with Senior Lecturer Richard Weissbourd.

A new study holds up a mirror to America's parents. A researcher at Harvard surveyed 10,000 middle and high school students in 33 different schools around the nation about what they thought their folks cared about most: that they achieve at a high level, that they are happy (defined as "feeling good most of the time"), or that they care for others.

Almost 80 percent of youth picked high achievement or happiness as their top choice, while about 20 percent selected caring for others. The survey also shows that about 80 percent of kids themselves rank achievement or happiness as most important, paralleling what they believe their parents value most.

Listen to "For Most Kids, Nice Finishes Last" on NPR's All Things Considered.