- Little Emperor Syndrome
Little Emperor Syndrome [cite news |first=Louisa |last=Lim |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Mental health fears in China|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2004/10/041011_china_children.shtml|work= |publisher=
BBC |date=11 October, 2004|accessdate=2007-09-20] is a name for a condition affecting both parents and their one child. This occurs in urban areas ofChina ,Beijing andShanghai . [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Student foot-washers get sole-to-sole with parents|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/10/content_270599.htm|work= |publisher=China Daily |date=2003-10-10 |accessdate=2007-09-20 ] It is considered to be an indirect result of theone child policy . With both parents lavishing attention and resources on their one child, the child becomes increasingly spoiled and gains a sense of self importance and entitlement. [cite news |first=Clay|last=Chandler|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Little Emperors|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2004/10/04/8186784/index.htm|work= |publisher=CNN |date=October 4, 2004|accessdate=2007-09-20 ] Parents inChina and in surrounding nations such asMalaysia where 'one child only' incentives are also being encouraged, have been known to wait outside the school for their children all day, carry their school bags around after them and cater for their every need right into teenage and early adult life. [cite news |first=Lori|last=Reese|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A Generation of Little Emperors|url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/99/0927/children_palace.html|work= |publisher=Time Asia|date=September 27,1999|accessdate=2007-09-20 ]ocio-economical and Psychological Implications
Parents turn to heavy
investment on theironly child partly in order to relive their own dreams and aspirations. They see themselves in the development of their child and completely focus their lives on them. With parents constantly predicting and telling of high hopes for the future, the child is established as the main focus of thefamily .Experts suggest that too much care and pampering may result in the child ending up incapable of leading a confident future life. [cite news |first=Hong|last=Guo|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The 'Little Emperors' Grow Up|url=http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20000101-000002.html|work= |publisher=
Psychology Today |date=Jan/Feb 2000
accessdate=2007-09-20] Many youngsters do not get exposed to life's realities and in many cases the parents' only goal is to get their child into a good slot at a respecteduniversity . [cite news |first=Inesa|last=Pleskacheuskaya|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Pity the Poor Little Emperors|url=http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e2005/e200508/n56.htm|work= |publisher=China Today |date= |accessdate=2007-09-20] The truth is that only a little more than 10% of high school students inChina can hope to get into acollege . [cite news |first=Michael|last=Bristow|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Chinese students fight for college places|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6727143.stm|work= |publisher=BBC |date=Wednesday, 6 June 2007|accessdate=2007-09-20]There are known connections between the syndrome and
type 2 diabetes , often a result ofobesity [cite news |first=Nancy |last=Chen |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=China’s ‘Little Emperors’ Take up Dancing |url=http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/06/13/224487.aspx?p=1 |work= |publisher=NBC News |date=Wednesday, June 13, 2007 |accessdate=2007-09-20 ] . As thepopulation pyramid inChina is top heavy, all four grandparents are usually still alive and have been known to over nourish their grandchildren, creating ageneration ofoverweight spoiled boys and girls.China's one-child policy
As single children under China’s
One-Child Policy , Little Emperors have access to greater purchasing powers, and more than previous generations, can buy consumer goods. [cite news |first=Melissa|last=Lee |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Luxury retailers court China's 'little emperors'|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20165004/|work= |publisher=MSNBC |date=August 7, 2007|accessdate=2007-09-20 ] Many individuals in the generation inherit in a 4-2-1 structure (4 grandparents, two parents and one child), [cite news |first=Richard|last=Jackson|authorlink= |coauthors=Neil Howe|title=The ‘4-2-1 Problem’|url=http://eng.newwelfare.org/?p=91&page=4 |work= |publisher=European Papers of the new Welfare|date=12 February 2006|accessdate=2007-09-20] leaving accumulated wealth to one heir. The reasons for parental indulgence of their child stem from the reality that single children in China are the sole perpetuators of the family legacy and face pressure to achieve. Second, China firmly valuesConfucian filial piety, [cite news |first=Inesa|last=Pleskacheuskaya|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Pity the Poor Little Emperors|url=http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e2005/e200508/n56.htm|work= |publisher=China Today |date= |accessdate=2007-09-20] in which children are expected to attend to their parents as they age. As a result, parents exert pressure on their child to succeed in education [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Educating China's "little emperors"|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-11/05/content_278667.htm|work= |publisher=China Daily |date=2003-11-05 |accessdate=2007-09-20] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Chen Lu: China |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/this_world/4272081.stm |work= |publisher=BBC |date=Monday, 21 February 2005 |accessdate=2007-09-20 ] so that he or she may take care of them in old age. Increased competition among state-run corporations [cite news |first=Axel|last=Merk
authorlink= |coauthors= |title=China: Embrace the competition |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/HE23Cb05.html |work= |publisher=Asia Times Online |date=May 23, 2006 |accessdate=2007-11-19 ] [ [http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/sgabriel/economics/china-essays/18.htm The Transition from State to Private Capitalism in China] June 2003 essay by [http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~sgabriel/main.html Satya J Gabriel] Professor of Economics,Mount Holyoke College ] [cite news |first=Nathan |last=Bush |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Chinese Competition Policy |url=http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0505/bush.html|work= |publisher=China Business Review|date= |accessdate=2007-11-19 ] [cite news |first=William H. |last=Hess |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Critical Eye on Guangdong|url=http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0703/criticaleye.html |work= |publisher=China Business Review |date= |accessdate=2007-11-19 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=China deal to boost economy|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/11/99/battle_for_free_trade/535164.stm|work= |publisher=BBC |date=Wednesday, 24 November, 1999 |accessdate=2007-11-19 ] [cite news |first=James |last=Miles |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=China: bleak future for state workers |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/analysis/44799.stm |work= |publisher=BBC |date=Monday, January 5, 1998|accessdate=2007-11-19 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=China scraps jobs guarantee |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2634195.stm |work= |publisher=BBC |date=Tuesday, 7 January, 2003|accessdate=2007-11-19 ] has impacted the need for parents to rely on their children. The global implications of an entire generation of single children are yet unknown since China’sGeneration Y is the first to be affected.References
External links
* [http://www.mercatornet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=439 Problems Encountered by Little Emperors]
* cite news |first=Alexander |last=Wolff
authorlink= |coauthors=David Fleming and Jeff Lilley |title=The China Syndrome |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/events/1996/olympics/storyolympic/china1.html |work= |publisher=Sports Illustrated |date=October 16, 1995
accessdate=2007-09-20
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