China's parenting backbone: grandparents

It is a common scene in China, where elderly people play a major role in raising grandchildren. [Photo/IC]

Younger couples often claim to shy away from hiring nannies due to expenses. Many parents, however, simply find the idea of grand-parents as caregivers very comforting.

Is the Chinese expression ken lao zu, or, "bite the old folks "when loosely translated, a good descriptor of the trend?

I came across its usage in relation to the alleged exploitation of elderly parents by adult children for money.

Here's the big data.

Last year, China had about 202.43 million people, at or above 60 years, accounting for 14.9 percent of the total population of about 1.37 billion, according to a government official. The municipality of Chongqing witnessed the highest concentration of elderly people in 2010, with 17.42 percent of the overall population.

When grandparents burn the midnight oil alongside teenagers who prepare for gaokao, the fiercely competitive national college entrance examination, nobody appears to mind. Retirees who volunteer at public transport hubs to keep crowds from turning chaotic are welcomed too. But some people grumble when the elderly take to group dancing on the streets or play mahjong over local beer and a few loud laughs. It's not just in cities; the countryside is also laden with expectations. The majority of aging people in many villages are tasked with caring for young children, toddlers included, after their parents leave to pursue urban jobs.

Raising about 61 million "left-behind" children seemingly requires at least as many grandparents, who occasionally get blamed for incompetence. Even at their age, with limited resources and physical energy, society hopes they can fill parental voids in a child's life.

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