Drama turns digital pings into heartfelt stories

The constant ping of the WeChat class group could be called the digital heartbeat of modern Chinese parenting. For millions, this simple notification system has grown into a powerful, and often pressurized, nerve center of family life.

More than just a chat, the class WeChat group for teachers and parents is a crucial nexus for home-school collaboration.

It functions as a channel for announcements, a daily assignment log, a window into school life, and a social space that both unites parents and sparks quiet competition.

This very modern phenomenon was recently dramatized in the television series, Attention! Parents, which uses the parent chat group as a narrative lens to explore the struggles of middle-aged adults balancing careers and family, intergenerational conflicts and the complexities of adolescent growth.

The 40-episode second season of the TV series airs on Hunan Satellite TV and the online video platform Mango TV.

Its screenwriter, Ma Guangyuan, admits that the drama is drawn from his own life.

"Because I am in a class group chat myself, the period around the end of August, just before the new semester starts, is when I get so anxious that I can't sleep," says Ma.

"I don't dare to put my phone on silent mode during that time, for fear of missing something important."

The story follows four families, all connected by the class group chat, as they navigate the ups and downs of daily life. They represent diverse backgrounds, including a single-parent household, a family geographically separated due to the mother's job in another city, and parents preoccupied with launching their own business.

For instance, one of the four families is a four-member household. The father, Liu Xiangshang, played by Zhang Jiayi, is a freelance screenwriter, while the mother, Dai Jing, portrayed by Chen Hao, is a busy sales director who faces intense workplace pressure and competition.

Together they raise a playful son and a sharp-witted younger daughter.

Chen explains that this season's story follows Dai, who aspires to be both a top professional and a good mother, as she learns to shed anxiety, make trade-offs and become more emotionally resilient.

The actress adds that the family structure features a dynamic where the wife is the dominant figure.

"Their relationship is built on mutual consultation, understanding and tolerance, creating a family atmosphere where everyone can grow into a better version of themselves," says Chen.

"Such an environment is very beneficial for the sound development of their children."

The series uses a light, comedic style to portray the trivialities of everyday life, highlighting both the pressure and joy of parenthood while also capturing the daily antics of a group of primary school students. Through its narrative, the drama reflects on themes such as family communication, parent-teacher dynamics and intimate relationships.

Actress Wang Xiaochen, who plays a single mother, says that the series aims to convey a message to viewers: "Life is inherently filled with mundane and often chaotic trivialities, but it's important to face it all with a positive, bright and optimistic attitude."