Parents go from tangerines to laptops
- By Gao Zhuyuan
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E-mail China Daily, August 30, 2013
Likewise, in recent years, many Chinese parents have loosened their purse strings even for plastic surgery that their children want to undergo before entering college, because they believe an eye or a nose job that can make their children look better will increase their employment prospects and bring other opportunities.
Unfortunately, this year is said to be the toughest for new college graduates to find a job, partly because the economic slowdown has reduced the number of job vacancies. Given the situation, the future of the class of 2017 doesn't look too bright.
Macroeconomic factors, however, have not had the expected impact on Chinese parents' spending decisions, at least not until now. The amount that goes into building a child's future is still deemed worth every penny spent according to the Chinese parenting philosophy that you can't be too generous when it comes to children's education.
This may be good news for retailers devising ways to increase their sales. However, it does not necessarily mean retailers can become the biggest winner and parents the biggest loser, as many would fear.
After all, the generous spending helps both parents and children prepare for a smooth transition from high school to college. It serves as a sort of mental rehearsal for the separation between parents and children, which embodies parental affection just the way a few tangerines did almost a century ago.
Parents feel less anxious and more secure with the transition when they fill their college-going children's luggage with brand-new products and imagine the kids using them on campus.
Nevertheless, it does not mean that the more expensive a product is, the better it will be. A renewed sense of thrift will in no way undermine parental affection. Parents and children can still stay connected through shared activities, deciding, for example, what items can be reused and what new products really need to be bought depending on the family's financial resources. This would give everyone a chance to reach a new level of independence upon the transition.
The author is a writer with China Daily.
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