For the phenomenon of "chicken baby", we can interpret it from different angles, which may include two connotations. First of all, there are parents who make great efforts to bring out the best in their children and enable them to thrive. Secondly, it also means nurturing children to move from a lower social status to a higher level, to achieve a leap into the social class.
In big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, or poor families in remote villages and towns, there are a group of parents who pour all their energy into their children. These parents have injected a unique breath into this era.
Regarding the "chicken baby" phenomenon, Professor Chu Yin predicted that this trend will gradually disappear in the next ten years.
Through many film and television works, we can see a glimpse of the real world. These works often revolve around how hard parents work and the conflict between their offspring and their parents under heavy academic pressure.
Although similar creations often arouse people's feelings about the pain of becoming a "good child", in real life, "chicken baby" cultivation is not uncommon, and is regarded by some as a tragedy of "Chinese-style family education".
It is already quite hard for a person to be responsible for himself, and these classmates often have to shoulder the responsibility of changing the fate of the family, as if they have been given a kind of "task" from birth. All the parental input and concerns seem to revolve around one goal: "to make a difference".
Some people believe that although this method may seem cruel, it is the surest way for ordinary people to change their lives. Those Buddhist parents, who are ostensibly child-friendly, are actually making excuses for their own disregard for education and can lie down effortlessly.
In an interview, Professor Chu Yin predicted that in less than ten years, the "chicken baby" phenomenon will basically disappear. He argues that the "chicken baby" is actually a problematic phenomenon, and if everyone is eager to "succeed", then the environment will look sick.
In the future, society will gradually tend to pay attention to the value of "being an ordinary person", which will reduce the number of parents who force their offspring to be admitted to 985 colleges and universities. Professor Chu admits that he prefers that it is enough for his children to go to university.
Of course, for some ordinary families, due to the general level of parents' education and economic conditions, a batch may already be considered a high standard.
The reduction in the "chicken baby" phenomenon does convey a different emotion of helplessness. The main thrust of Professor Chu's view is: "You don't have to be admitted to a prestigious university to have a good life." This is the root cause of the decline in the phenomenon of "chicken babies". But the interpretation of netizens expressed a completely different opinion.
They think that Professor Chu's wording is too euphemistic, but in fact, what he said is: even if you work hard to get into a prestigious university, have special skills, and invest a lot of money in training students, you may not be able to achieve significant returns. When the actual rate of return of the "chicken baby" drops sharply, parents naturally choose a more relaxed attitude.
This actually reveals a different kind of helplessness, that is, the solidification of social class. Teacher Chu mentioned a sentence: "I have solved the problems he may encounter in advance." And for us ordinary people, the chances of "changing our lives" through the college entrance examination and receiving higher education are getting slimmer and slimmer.
Even if they study in China, many people spend a lot of money to let their children study abroad, but they may not be able to bring back the desired return. This investment in education may not be recouped at all.
For the middle class and the petty bourgeoisie, it may be possible to focus on the happy growth of students regardless of the cost. But for the average family, it is important to consider whether the investment and return are acceptable. Ten years ago, the first batch of "chicken babies" had already graduated from college, what was their living situation? Do parents regret it?
Do parents who have invested in high education regret it? Netizens expressed such opinions.
Once, Principal Zhang Guimei confessed that the purpose of her establishment of the girls' school was to try her best to save students who were neglected by their parents. She mentioned the example of a girl in her third year of high school who had excellent grades and was expected to enter a major university, but her parents believed that the girl would get married sooner or later and did not support her to continue her education.
In the end, Principal Zhang gave the girl a few hundred yuan and told her to wait until the end of the college entrance examination before going home to work. Admission to a major university may change the attitude of parents, but it may also be opposed, and students need to apply for assistance from the university in person.
This kind of family forms two extremes with the chicken baby family. However, those chicken baby families, which were once thought to focus on cultivation, have also been questioned. One teacher once pointed out that these parents have a misconception that good grades and a wide range of interests equate to a promising future.
A person's future development is indeed related to achievements and strengths, but it is more intrinsically related to job income, resources, and social skills. If you don't understand this essence and focus too much on your studies, you may end up missing out.
Seeing what happened to the "first generation of chicken babies", some parents began to regret it. They put a lot of effort into buying a house in the school district and signing up for tutoring and interest classes, but in the end they found that their children could only get a few thousand yuan in salary.
On the other hand, there are also those who believe that there is nothing to regret, after all, investing in education is not as simple as buying cabbage, and no one has ever said that investment will necessarily pay off. Fighting for children's educational resources is a gamble in itself, at least these parents have really worked hard with their students and have left no regrets.
【Editor's Note】What level of effort is considered a "chicken baby" may vary from person to person. Academic performance is important, but we also need to have a broader perspective. In the era of university diplomas per capita in the future, children's good character and love of life are the most precious qualities.