Opinion / Liu Shinan
We must stop pampering children
By Liu Shinan (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-06-14 06:04
I remember reading a report by a Western journalist 26 years ago about
the early days of China's reform. I have forgotten the reporter's name
and the title of the publication he worked for, but one detail in the
story has lingered on in my memory.
The reporter said he was travelling on a train in a Chinese province when
he saw out of the window a woman walking with her baby on a dusty road
beside the tracks. The woman was kissing her baby repeatedly while
walking quickly towards a factory gate, apparently trying to reach the
workshop on time.
I assume that the foreign journalist cited the example to illustrate that
the universal maternal love for kids was also seen in China, which was
still mired in poverty after 10 years of the chaotic "cultural
revolution" (1966-76). "For the Chinese, children are their greatest
hope," wrote the reporter.
A quarter of a century has passed since then. We Chinese have mostly got
out of poverty and can afford a much more expensive expression of
affection for our children. All parents spend the major part of their
earnings on their kids' well-being and education. In urban areas,
school-age children's needs are fully satisfied in terms of learning,
playing and nutrition, and even mobile communication. In rural areas,
even the poorest families put children's education at the top of their
budgets.
However, such expressions of love and care have become much too
exorbitant to guarantee the healthy development of the younger
generation. The annual national college entrance exams most typically
illustrate the excessiveness of such caring.
Take this year's exam for example.
During the three-day exams last week, most parents of the examinees asked
for leave to accompany their kids to the exam venues and waited outside
for the whole day. Many of them booked rooms in nearby hotels for the
teenagers to rest at lunchtime. Newspapers carried articles telling
parents what types of food their kids should be eating at this crucial
time.
And almost the whole of society was mobilized to provide a comfortable
environment for the teenagers. Traffic authorities in all cities and
towns cordoned off nearby streets to prevent passing vehicles from
disturbing the examinees. Police cars and ambulances waited outside
almost all exam venues in case of emergencies. Nearby entertainment
venues were warned against making noises. Taxi drivers were urged to
voluntarily ferry the students to exam venues. The airport in Dalian in
Northeast China even ordered aircraft to change their routes to avoid
flying over the city.
I felt very encouraged by the spirit of humanitarianism displayed in
these moves, especially those taken by government authorities. This
reflects our nation's progress in the drive to build a more civilized
society.
However, I still feel worried about the excessiveness in our caring for
the younger generation. We seem to have pampered the kids too much. Is
the noontime rest in luxurious hotel rooms and the diversion of aircraft
flying over a city really necessary? What kind of an impression will be
left in the youngsters' mind by such activities? Will they be able to
meet challenges when they become adults?
Our kids have been spoiled to some extent in recent years. There have
been several media reports about Chinese children losing to their foreign
peers in contests designed to test their capability to survive rigorous
field conditions. Chinese parents should learn something from their
foreign counterparts.
A few days prior to last week's national exam, 436 foreign teenagers sat
a special exam for enrolment in Shanghai's Fudan University, only 20
parents accompanied them to the exam venue.
Email: liushinan@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 06/14/2006 page4)
Hot Talks
� Share Our Crafts: Naming contest
� The microprints of 1980s Shanghai
� The ceremony at the White House
� Do teenagers really need mobiles?
� China's Serious Environment Problem
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Alibaba is the largest B2B marketplace in the world. Source model ship,
wooden puzzle, one-piece toilet, RC hovercraft, photo album, prom dress,
pocket bike, Vaginal Speculum, Samurai Sword, String Panty and PVC Pipe.
Learn Chinese, Chinese Mandarin, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment