Protect children's right to life first, the rest can follow

In the summer months, parents should attach special importance to children's safety. In particular, some recent accidents, including the drowning of eight children in Chongqing and several tragic cases of toddlers being accidentally locked in cars, show parents and guardians need to pay greater attention to kids' safety.

Many attribute such tragedies to the failure of parents to fulfill their duties. It may be easy to blame parents and guardians for the accidental injuries caused to and even deaths of kids, but the fact is that no parents in the world want their children to face danger, because they value their children more than their own lives.

Parents' love for their kids is unlimited, and beyond doubt. Perhaps it's their misconception or misunderstanding about how to protect children's rights that causes most of the problems. Children should be considered independent individuals with their own rights. According to the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child and China's Law on the Protection of Minors, the rights to life, development, education, protection and participation are integral to minors' rights.

But the problem is that many Chinese parents attach too much importance to kids' right to education while neglecting their other rights, especially their right to life. In particular, Chinese parents overemphasize the importance of education for their children. A survey on "family education for primary school students" by China Youth and Children Research Center shows that Chinese parents' concern about children's education overshadows those about their safety and health.

Also, parents and guardians do not pay adequate attention to kids' diet and sleep. A research by the same institute indicates that only 60 percent of children in cities ate breakfast every day in 2016. And despite the Ministry of Education's regulations that students in elementary school should get at least 10 hours of sleep and those in junior high school nine hours, less than one-fourth of the students across school grades get enough sleep.

To ensure children get adequate sleep, therefore, parents have to change their mindset and fulfill all their duties toward minors.

Since the right to life is the basis of all other rights, parents should always accord it the highest priority. As such, parents and guardians should stay alert all the time so they can better safeguard their kids against dangers and meet their basic needs in terms of clothing, food, housing, and medical care.

Also, parents should not overprotect their children, as it significantly hinders their natural development. Instead, they should educate their children, and help enhance their ability and awareness so they can protect themselves against danger. For instance, to safeguard minors against drowning, parents should warn them to stay away from rivers and pools when they are not accompanied by an adult. They should also teach children to seek the help of adults if someone accidentally falls into a river, stream or pool rather than trying to save him or her themselves.

Unlike parenthood, the "art" of raising kids doesn't come naturally. Even rich life experience and higher education are not enough qualifications for properly raising and educating kids. Parents have to keep learning parenting skills and "growing up" with their children.

Moreover, since the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has recommended that family education be provided for both urban and rural residents, the government is obliged to do so.

And as for parents, they should make more efforts to obtain the right information on family education and properly perform their duties, according to the Law on the Protection of Minors.

The author is director of the Family Research Center at China Youth and Children Research Center. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.