Big Changes in My Family

Chunqing Guan (Vicky)

ESL 100

11/03/2011

       Every family hopes to live in an enjoyable house, which is brimming with children and grandchildren. However, this hope cannot really come true in China these days. Due to the overpopulation, the Chinese government passed the family planning policy in 1983, which stipulates each couple is limited to one child. As a result of this policy, the population growth rate has slowed down in China. In the meantime, Chinese people’s lives are deeply influenced by the policy. As the only child in my family, I grew up under the policy. Under the policy, my family’s life had improved, and it was reflected in the standard of living, the learning environment and the family traditions.

     

       Due to compliance with the family planning policy, the standard of living has risen in the majority of Chinese households. It is often said: “raising a child needs four million dollars in China.” A child cannot only bring happiness to a family, but it can also bring a burden. In China, which is a developing country, people always want more children even though the prices are high. Therefore, some people can’t afford the heavy family burden. After the government passed the family planning policy, people’ lives had changed. Before I was born, my family was living in the countryside.  My family had high expenses because of the big family. After I was born, my small family, which includes my parents and me, moved to city. My parents had to spend less for daily necessities, for food, and for tuition. Therefore, as time passed, the quality of life in my family had improved. In addition, we had more government benefits. In order to encourage people to respond to the policy, the government rewarded money every year for the families that only has one child. We lived our lives according to the policy, and our lives became better and better.

     

    With the improvement of living standards, the government began to increase the importance of education. School admission in China was intense due to the overpopulation. Before the policy was implemented, parents in China always worried about their children’s school admission from kindergarten to college. When my elder cousin was ready for kindergarten, the policy was not popular at that time. As a result, my aunt had to try any possible way to get her in a school. However, a few years later, my family did not need to worry about me because of a decrease in population growth. School admissions were adequate, and I could get into a good school easier. In addition, the quality of education also improved.  Due to the better living standard, the government had more funds to put into education. Therefore, there was a better education system in my generation. Technology resources, qualified teachers, and the school buildings had all improved. For China, the policy has improved the quality of population; for me, the policy gave me a good chance to learn.

      

     

While the policy became widespread in China, there was not only an improved quality of material life, but also spiritual life. The concept of favoring boys over girls has been serious in China since ancient times, and my family was no exception. If I had been born in ancient times, my destiny would have been very bad. Nonetheless, the concept has changed since the family planning policy practices. It is always said: “when a thing is scarcest, it is precious.” As an only child in my family, I have always felt much love from my parents, especially from my grandparents who still follow old world ideas. They love me and treat me fairly with my elder male cousin even though I am a girl. Moreover, my mother’s destiny has changed, too. In the past, women who had a son would have higher status in a big family. My mother isn’t inferior in my family for giving birth to me. Because of the policy, everyone is precious, and everyone is equal. In a sense, the policy brought harmony to my family.

       Sometimes I feel lonely because I am the only one. However, it has to be said that over the past years, our lives got better due to the family planning. Some Chinese people defied the policy in order to have a lively family and carry on the family line. As a result, they were fined.  Whether complying with the policy or defying it, Chinese people have lived under the policy indeed, and a new generation of one child families now populates the country. In brief, it was a big decision to improve the national quality for China; on the other hand, it is a turning point for the life or every small Chinese family.