My observations of Chinese grandparents' child raising is more on the negative side. Certainly they can help with infants and toddlers, but the problems start at older age. Teenagers, you know.
Given a city-dwelling couple today that decides to have 3 children, would be looking at possible 9 grandchildren by their retirement age. Not much time for mahjong or traveling.
I would continue this thought exercise by suggesting that Confucian principles such as filial piety could become challenged when child counts within families increase.
What may have worked once upon a time when China was a poorer country with more rural surroundings, may not work now.
Having to raise 2 or 3 princes/princesses instead of just one may hit fabrics of Chinese society in unexpected ways, and force developments that for the powers-that-be may offset the economic benefits of maintaining population.
Reading about latest developments in China's childbirth regulations (now going to 3 children per family), I started to think about the role that religions and related social organizations in western countries (maybe elsewhere too) have played in increasing (maintaining anyway) and supporting child count of families.
For example in my home country most of families with 5+ children are either cases of remarrying with bonus children, or followers of certain (usually Christian) disciplines. Furthermore many church related organizations provide assistance that makes raising children a little bit easier.
I would speculate that if not for religious activities, birth rates in western countries would have dropped much sooner and faster.
In this context, what China has to offer in place of religions, is in my opinion perhaps not sufficient to create equal factor to increase/maintain birth count.
@Mario007:
It looks particularly backward considering that according to latest official data, Yunnan has more foreign residents than Shanghai and Beijing combined.
About same as from a prayer to a revolution?
No results found.
Urban re-greening effort to include 37 new Kunming parks
Posted byDazzer: ""suggest that provision also includes adequate car parking"
I would assume it does, but what constitutus adequate is debatable.
For example in housing developments I would assume that they do it by some assumption of how many resident households own a car on average and then some extra for visitors. But at least in our relatively new development (though still old enough to have "matured"), it seems to be somewhat of a challenge to find parking space by the road.
I would also argue that limiting parking space would deter more cars hitting the roads (which is never a bad thing), if it is accompanied by meaningful penalties for illegal parking.
This would especially reduce meaningless car ownership, ie. for city dwellers who only buy it for status symbol.
Urban re-greening effort to include 37 new Kunming parks
Posted bySure these parks are better than nothing. But I would hope the city would also step up on construction supervision in middle of urban developments.
From what I have learned, is that developers are required to allocate certain amount of green space for every square meter they are building.
What happens, is that especially outside the complexes they initially do that, but then after the authorities have checked and confirmed this, they tear it apart and replace with parking space or just empty concrete for damas to dance at.
Interview: Tracking Kunming's trash with Adam Liebman
Posted byThis was interesting indeed.
I would also link this to another topic recently covered on this site, which is a central government team's visit to check whether Kunming now could be considered a "civilized city".
Lot of posts about this have appeared around the city in recent weeks, apparently trying to sell the idea to the general public.
Couple of weeks ago in our neihbourhood we spotted a group of people, who we suspected part of this investigation group, and one thing that they did outside our house was looking in the rubbish bins.
I noted that they pointed out how both "recyclable" and "non-recyclable" bins contained mixed waste. Also when they left the scene, one of the sanitation workers grumped, as if the group had just messed up her work.
So even if rubbish in both of the bins ends up to same place when collected (according to this article anyway), it seemed to be a factor in determining Kunming's "civilized" status that residents should sort their waste properly to correct bins.
Yunnan's capital scrambles as 'Civilized Kunming' audit looms
Posted byAmong other things, I'm guessing this explains why they revamped the previously lively bazaar and street food strip of a road behind Carrefour at Longquen Lu / Baiyun Lu intersection.
All pop-up establishments were removed, making the road more accessible to cars, and leaving only those shops and restaurants which have presence in the houses by the road.
It's a shame, in my opinion.
Chinese student apologizes after Maryland graduation speech sparks firestorm
Posted byAbout her interpretation of Kunming air - I don't think Kunming air is that bad in comparison to many cities in China, but if she never did (which I don't know) experience smoggy winter day in Beijing or other super polluted city, perhaps Kunming does not compare that well to her experience in US.
Kunming might be all about spring, flowers. and blue skies for someone coming from Beijing, but perhaps not for someone hailing from Maryland?
It's quite subjective matter really.
And when she extends the fresh air to civil liberties, my arguments on that matter with Chinese usually proceed to them saying how they are content and satisfied without them - so why all the hate if someone happens to enjoy those.
The nation just has low self-esteem, and she forgot to consider that.