Pulse

Have two children? If I could, I wouldn't

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-04-28 07:55

What's your opinion about reports that less than one-third of Beijing parents eligible to have a second child are willing to do so?

Yeah, parents nowadays have so many burdens when it comes to raising children. Education is the biggest; the investment is just huge, especially in the city. It's not like saving money can solve it. If others are learning English, piano or Olympic mathematics after class, you have to let your own child learn that too. Not to mention, if they choose to study abroad or want their own apartment after graduation. If I'd had the choice years ago, I wouldn't have had a second child. The cost is too high. I'm lucky my son is 27 and has already graduated from university. I had to borrow money for his tuition fees. It was a hard time. In the past, the country was very strict on family planning, but I guess in the future the policy will not need to be that tough as the young parents themselves will choose to stick with only one child, since the burden is already so heavy.

It's a while since Japan's devastating earthquake sparked a nuclear crisis but Beijingers are still concerned about radioaction, although environmental authorities say no traces have yet been found in surface water within the capital's boundary. Are you worried?

Well, radiation seems to be everywhere in our lives now. For example, X-rays are commonly used in hospitals. I bought a blue-tooth earphone and used to wear it even when I wasn't talking on the phone. However, I was told by one of my passengers that it is unhealthy. So now I don't wear it anymore. Instead I wear a necklace and hang it in front of my chest. I know, however, that when we talk about nuclear radiation it means a different thing. Nuclear radiation causes more serious problems. Shortly after the quake, a lot of passengers talked to me about it, but I don't think it's something we can prevent on our own. We need to rely on our government. It's very important that the government makes the information transparent and keeps us informed with all the latest developments. Once the trust is built, there will be fewer concerns. It's just like what we experienced during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Want the inside track from METRO's talkative taxi driver Dou Keying? E-mail your questions to metrobeijing@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 04/28/2011)