MA JINGLIN, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and principal of Beijing No. 4 Middle School, recently proposed that parental accompaniment during homework might provide a short-term solution but could foster dependence and diminish a child’s autonomy over time.

During the two sessions in Beijing, which are the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and top political advisory body, he suggested that parents should assume the role of gardeners, cultivating an environment conducive to their children’s growth, rather than carpenters shaping their children according to a fixed standard.

These comments have resonated with many parents. If children do not develop self-driven purpose and self-discipline but rely solely on parental supervision to complete homework, they are less likely to succeed in the long term.

However, the reality is more complex. The internet is fraught with stories of parents succumbing to the stress of tutoring, some to the extreme of experiencing health crises.

Even those who aspire to be gardeners find it challenging in the face of external pressures, primarily in the form of fierce competition at various levels of exams. Students who perform unsatisfactorily in these exams don’t have the chance to progress to the next level of education, compelling parents to assume a more hands-on role.

This dynamic may undermine a child’s self-reliance but seems necessary to address immediate obstacles to academic success.

Only when our society becomes more tolerant of different kinds of success, embraces diverse values, and offers more job opportunities for the younger generation, can parents focus on cultivating the essential qualities required for a healthy and fulfilled future life in their children, including creativity and self-discipline.

David Liu via email