China kids sandwiched between pleasure and pressure

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-30 20:04

New pressure

Wang Wenyi said he spent less time with his grandson since he entered primary school.

"He was much busier than a child should ever be."

"In old days, we had only two subjects in primary school, Chinese and math, not even English. But my grandson has so many courses, extra-curricular interest classes, and some other group activities," Wang said.

Li Ou'meng, a student at the Beijing's Second Experimental Primary school, complained he might not have much time for a sound sleep on the Children's Day.

"We have performances, and we got homework, so much homework. What kind of a holiday is it when it makes us so strained?" Li said.

Experts said study has become the biggest burden for Chinese children and that it is improper to impose parents' expectations and value of the society on children at an early age.

"It will deprive of their childhood to make early arrangements for future education -- and it goes against their recognition and development," said Zhou Xiaolin, a psychology professor from Peking University.

Many parents think entering a top university is the basis for finding a decent job and live a comfortable life in the future.

Zhu Liqi, a professor of the Institute of Psychology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), described the competition as "a war without gun smoke."

"They learn more, they know more, they are smarter, but not necessarily happier," Zhu said.

The battle begins when children are still in kindergarten, when parents send their 4-or-5-year-old kids to various interest classes.

Xin Wei, a five-and-a-half-year-old boy from Beijing's Happy Times Kindergarten, had music, painting, English and table tennis courses every week after school.

Xin's mother, Huo Na, said all these courses were up to his will.

"We once took him to an arithmetic class when he was 4, but the homework was demanding and we got tired, so we quit it soon," Huo said.

"I like singing and dancing, and other courses are interesting, too. I am also proud of my fluent English," Xin said.

Xin even held his first painting exhibition during his fifth birthday anniversary. With his mother's help, he posted his own paintings on the walls of the kindergarten and acted as a guide to explain paintings to his classmates.

"We do everything to make him feel confident, so that he will be mentally prepared for future challenges," Huo said.

Experts agreed that children's success depends more on social abilities, especially on communication and emotion control, as they bear much more pressure than children decades ago.

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