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How much money is it reasonable to spend on the education of achild aged below 6? For some parents, not a single jiao is neededbecause they believe parents can educate their offspring perfectly.Others may spend more than 50 percent of their monthly income onprograms and learning materials for their youngsters. Yang Yimei, 35, a full-time housewife, said she spends some 4,000yuan ($635) on buying books, DVDs and intelligence development toysfor her 5-year-old daughter. Another 2,000 yuan is spent on earlychildhood education programs, such as play and music courses andpiano lessons. The monthly income of the family is 13,000 yuan. "We have seen increasing members in the past decade and anexpanding market in early childhood education, especially with thehigh-end programs," said Stella Chen, general manager of GymboreeChina Play and Music, a high-end early childhood education serviceprovider. Chen said more than 700,000 children have joined programs of morethan 200 Gymboree Play and Music centers in more than 100 citiesaround China since the brand entered the country in 2002. The average spending on each child who was signed up for courses atGymboree China Play and Music centers is about 8,000 yuan per year,according to Chen. "Some keen parents may bring their children to our classes threetimes a week. The annual spending can reach 20,000 yuan to 30,000yuan," said Chen. A survey shows that 65 percent of the parents of children who takeclasses at Gymboree receive a monthly income between 10,000 and20,000 yuan. About 25 percent of the parents are business ownersand some 10 percent are expats working in China. My Gym, another child development service provider that focuses onphysical education and fitness, is also expanding widely in China.Since the brand was introduced in China in 2009, it has developedmore than 70 centers across the country. Besides imported brands, some local early childhood educationproviders have also witnessed an increasing number of parents whosign up their youngsters to various programs. "The idea that we shall not let children lose before they havereached the starting line actually make parents very anxious. Youngparents like us have no experience of raising children and we arefinancially pressured, too," said Wang Fenfei, a 25-year-old motherof a 2-year-old boy. Wang said Chinese tradition obliges parents to give the best totheir children. "Being a parent is a job that does not require any qualifications.My husband and I always feel that we are not doing well enough,"said Wang. Chen of Gymboree said she hopes parents may grow together withtheir children, see the world from a child's perspective and spendmore time with them. The trend is that more and more young parents who are born afterthe start of the 1980s are quite engaged in interactive activitieswith their children, which is good for building a positiverelationship between parents and their children. "It is important for parents to remember that it will not benefitchildren in the long run if they are pushed too hard," said Chen. A recent survey in which 7,500 families around the world werepolled by Gymboree, including 3,000 families in China, revealedthat Chinese children under the age of 6 sleep for an average ofnine hours and 15 minutes every day, lower than the global averageof 10 hours and nine minutes, ranking third last among thecountries, which included Germany, the United Kingdom, Australiaand the United States. The average time for outdoor activities for children under 6 inChina was about 52 minutes, the least in the 14 polled countriesand regions and only 25 percent of the global average of 3 hoursand 45 minutes. The survey also found that Chinese parents spend less quality timewith their children than their peers in other countries. In Canada,a child stays with at least one of its parents for more than 23hours (including sleeping time) every day, while the figure inChina is only 12 hours (including sleeping time), the least of the14 polled countries and regions. "On one hand, parents are spending a lot of money on theirchildren; on the other hand, parents are spending little time withthem. I don't think it is good for the children because they willhave an impression that they are brought up by service providersinstead of their parents and they are nurtured by material things,not love," said Wang Juxian, a kindergarten teacher in Shanghai whohas been working with children for 30 years. Parents play significant roles in a child's growing-up process. Itis essential for parents to let their children cherish theirdiscoveries and imagination, said Lan Hai, a child psychologistwith Beijing-based Schwabing Education. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Glass Candlestick Holders Manufacturer , Fancy Table Lamp Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit Art Deco Vases today!
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