How to Guide Children — Family Education Consultancies Take Off

By staff reporter LU RUCAI

    With increasing pressure for Chinese children to get into good high schools, home tutors have become very popular in many Chinese cities. Over the past two years, however, another form of “family education” has arisen, targeting parents rather than children. These “family education consultants” are responsible for helping parents solve their children’s problems as they grow up.

Many children feel anxious and uneasy on their first day of kindergarten after their parents leave.

Perplexed Parents

    “All children can be taught well —there are only parents that don’t know how to teach.” Many professionals concur with this advertising slogan used by family education training courses.

    Wang Pingping is the young mother of a 12-year-old boy. In the past year she has experienced many difficulties being a parent. Her son, currently studying in grade 6 at primary school, often misbehaves and loses his temper. Besides having a tense relationship with his mother, the boy doesn’t like going to school. He once stayed home for 10 days.

    Having no idea how to handle these problems, Wang planned to take her boy to a psychotherapist, but he refused to cooperate. Under these circumstances, Wang started to search for examples of family education on the Internet in the hope of finding a solution.

    Wang found He Yongjun, a family education consultant in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, a city 300 kilometers from Beijing. He is a professional education consultant with years of experience, and has tutored over 1,000 parents. After reading lots of cases handled by him, and comments from those he had helped, Wang decided to give him a try. She now pays He RMB 1,000 per month and mainly consults with him online.

    “Mr. He understands children. On the basis of this understanding, he gives them support and help,” says Wang. She talked to her son according to He’s advice, and after ten days at home the boy finally returned to the classroom. Wang was both surprised and overjoyed.

    “In fact communication is very important,” Wang now realizes. With He’s help she adjusted her attitude while talking with her son. Chinese parents tend to treat their children like little kids, even when they reach adulthood, and are often overly caring. They rarely attempt to communicate with their children and instead address them in a “lecturing tone.”