独生子女一代的生活

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Wang says it is not unexpected for a woman who just few years ago still crazed about Hello Kitty dolls and South Korean romance² dramas.

"Only children indeed have a longer psychological weaning period. They are used to being taken care of so even when they are 24 or 25, they still feel like a child. It is actually not much different even after having their own children. It is customary³ that it is once again the duty of the grandparents to take care of the new borns."

One may wonder whether it is possible for this generation to handle two children as the central government officially ended its one-child policy earlier this year.

独生子女一代的生活

Wang Dongyu quit her job when she was expecting her son. Now she says she wants another child but will not give up her career again.

"I will not consider quitting my job if another child is coming. I may have to ask my parents to help me."

However, Wang's mother Chen Hairong is not this confident.

"I think it is too much for them to face social competitions, look after the elderly and the next generation at the same time. It is compounded if the elderly have health problems. So of course we will help them."

Theoretically there will be a 4-2-2 structure for each typical one-child family - four grandparents, the couple and their two children. 

Thirty-year-old Wang Dongyu says she is worried about what to do when their parents get old.

"One day they will get sick and need particular care and we have our job and two children. It makes me nervous even thinking about it. I do not know the best answer at least for now."

While her father Wang Xudong says it is not an issue at all.

"It used to the duty of the children to take care of the elderly. Now they have four or even more elders to care of as well as their own job. I believe there will not a problem, because a maturing social security system will take care of us. We have steady income so we will not put more burden on them. And I feel completely OK to be sent to a nursing home if one day I need constant care. What they need to do is just some occasional visits. I think I will be content."

It used to be a serious worry for some people that a slew⁴ of social problems will come out at this point. While, at least for now it seems to be unfounded - more and more one-child grown-ups are reporting for duty.

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