The Chinese enjoy their cell phones. They are proud of their cars. But they cherish their children, and they only get one. It's poignant. When I walk on the square, I see parents and grandparents holding their children, watching them, enjoying them, drinking in the experience. It's different from America, though we love children, too. To alleviate overpopulation, the Chinese government limits couples to one child each. Here, you only get one.
It's hard to buck the system. There are serious penalties.One hears horror stories of families abandoning baby girls, for girls are less valued, still. But it must be rare. Children are viewed as precious in China. The one child policy applies only to Hans-- the ethnic majority. Some people regard this as a mistake, for the percentage of other groups is on the increase, and some of the Hans feel superior.But in a nation of 1.3 billion, the restriction of birth rates makes sense. It is very hard on parents and on children growing up without siblings.
Above: Grandmother and child
It's hard to buck the system. There are serious penalties.One hears horror stories of families abandoning baby girls, for girls are less valued, still. But it must be rare. Children are viewed as precious in China. The one child policy applies only to Hans-- the ethnic majority. Some people regard this as a mistake, for the percentage of other groups is on the increase, and some of the Hans feel superior.But in a nation of 1.3 billion, the restriction of birth rates makes sense. It is very hard on parents and on children growing up without siblings.
Above: Grandmother and child
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