CRI听力: Second-Generation Only Children

There have always been many disagreements over those who were born after the introduction of the country's one-child policy in 1979. Now that first generation of only children has entered their late 20s and early 30s, and many are parents themselves. How they are bringing up their children is attracting attention from all sides.

Zhang Cheng has more.

 Six adults plus one child is a typical family structure in today's China. This includes the father, mother, father's parents, mother's parents and the child. Compared with their parents, who are only children and were raised in somewhat prosperous circumstances, the second-generation of only children are enjoying even more care and are the focus of their families.

Since their parents have to go out and work, it is very common for their grandparents to play a major role in taking care of them. But another reason might be that the young parents themselves are not capable enough to take care of others. Sun Xiaomei is one of them.

"I cannot even take good care of myself. When I'm looking after my child, she often gets sick or has some small accidents. So her grandparents are always worried and would rather take over the responsibility."

Li Zhigang, a young father who is also the only child of his family, agrees.

"We have little experience in raising children, but my parents are more experienced and can do better at this."

But some experts say children may not benefit from this way of child rearing. Lu Qin, an expert in childhood education, explains.

"If the children are brought up by the grandparents, they will not be emotionally close enough to their parents. And when they enter adolescence when many youngsters are rebellious, it will be difficult for the parents to educate or correct the children."

Lu says the period from the birth to three years old is the most significant period in a child's development. Parents — especially mothers — should spend more time with their children during these years so that the youngsters can feel more of a sense of security and be more confident in the future.

The Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences recently issued a research report that indicates the average Chinese family spends at least 490,000 yuan, or 70,000 U.S. dollars, to raise a child in a large city.

With relatively high living standards, parents and grandparents often try their best to satisfy the requests of the child, and many children are spoiled.

Yue Jingjing, another only child who is now a mother herself, says parents and grandparents need not spend so much money on food, clothes or toys when raising a child.

"I think it is not necessary to pay too much for material goods, but I'd rather pay more for my child's future education."

China's first generation of only children has been criticized as too self-centered and not sociable, and now their children seem to be the same way because of the absence of siblings.

Sun Xiaomei talks about her daughter's behavior.

"It seems that my daughter really enjoys playing alone. When we invite other children to our home or take her to other friends' homes, she is always playing on her own instead of playing with others."

Some parents try to take their children to various occasions where the youngsters can have an opportunity for social engagement.

Experts suggest that parents send their children to kindergarten when they are three years old, so they can learn how to get along with other children and develop social skills in a team.

Lu Qin says although only children who are now parents themselves have less experience with child rearing, they do have some advantages.

"The young parents are better educated than the previous generation. They are active in learning how to raise a child scientifically. I have seen many young people attending various lectures to acquire more knowledge about how to bring up and educate a child."

Yue Jingjing agrees.

"I think our generation pays more attention to the cultivation and development of the children's personalities. Unlike our parents who mainly focused on the material part, we pay more attention to helping the children become more independent and confident."(www.hXen.com)

Some 10 years ago, almost everyone was criticizing the post-1980 generation as fragile and saying that they lacked a sense of social responsibility. But as this generation is playing a more important role in present-day society, the negative opinions are changing accordingly.

Now the same things are happening with the children of the post-1980 generation, and many are worried about the future of the second-generation only children.

But no one can predict how things will unfold in the following decades. We can only wait and see.